Manipur violence: Naga body gives 48-hour ultimatum for return of slain man's head

A Naga civil society organisation has given armed groups 48 hours to return the severed head of a 52-year-old man allegedly killed in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district.

The headless body of Ajinbou R was brought to the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal on Sunday night for a post-mortem. He was allegedly killed in a suspected militant attack on Makui Ashang village on Saturday.

A video purportedly of Ajinbou's head among heavily armed militants wearing camouflage was widely shared on Saturday.

In a statement on Sunday, the Joint Tribes Council Manipur said, "The head of Ajinbou R remains missing. Post-mortem will not be conducted till his head is returned to his family members for a dignified burial. We will not allow state machinery to mutilate the remains further while his head is treated as a trophy by militants."

Holding state and Central governments directly responsible for the renewed violence, it said, "This heinous crime is an affront to humanity." The council issued a "non-negotiable 48-hour ultimatum" to locate and return the severed head, failing which it warned of taking the "most stringent measures" to secure justice.

A fresh wave of violence hit Manipur last week, with at least nine people killed in separate firing incidents in Kamjong, Ukhrul and Kangpokpi districts on Friday and Saturday.

The killings started after a 22-year-old mother of five was shot dead by unknown assailants in Kuki-dominated Chassad village in Naga-majority Kamjong district on Friday night. Her killing triggered an exchange of fire between Kuki and Naga armed groups, which continued till Saturday morning.

Chief minister Y Khemchand Singh has condemned the killings and asked the authorities concerned to take immediate and "effective steps to control the situation, restore peace and order and ensure the safety and security of all citizens".

More than 50 people have been killed and dozens of houses torched in violence between Kuki and Naga tribes since February this year.

The state had earlier witnessed ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kukis, in which over 300 people were killed, while 49 remained missing, and thousands were rendered homeless.