IMPHAL, India: Indian police said on Wednesday they had recovered the bodies of six men believed to be among a group of civilians abducted nearly a month ago in the northeastern state of Manipur amid renewed escalation in ethnic violence.
The bodies were recovered near Kharam Vaiphei village in Kangpokpi district following nearly 24 hours of search operations by the Manipur Police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Assam Rifles, police said.
Authorities said the six men were among at least 48 civilians from the Naga and Kuki communities abducted on May 13 in Kangpokpi and Senapati districts amid escalating ethnic tensions in the Indian state.
According to Manipur Police, the deceased were believed to be members of the Naga community who were abducted from Leilon Vaiphei village on May 13.
The latest killings follow a series of abductions that rights groups and organisations have described as one of the most serious escalations since ethnic violence erupted in Manipur in May 2023.
The unrest initially involved clashes between the state’s majority Meitei community, which is predominantly Hindu, and the mainly Christian Kuki tribes.
In recent months, members of the Naga community have also become drawn into the conflict.
Police and local media reports said tensions between the Naga and Kuki groups intensified after a Naga man was assaulted earlier this year.
The situation further deteriorated following the killing of three Kuki pastors in May, an incident that Kuki groups blamed on armed Naga organisations.
The latest deaths highlight the continuing security challenges facing Manipur as Indian authorities failed to restore order.
More than 250 people have been killed and over 60,000 displaced since violence first erupted in the state in 2023, according to police assessment.
Human rights groups say tens of thousands remain unable to return to their homes. More than 43,000 people are still displaced nearly three years after the conflict began, according to humanitarian estimates.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government and state administrations have completely failed to end the violence, prevent displacement and protect civilians.
