45-Year-Old Chiru Man Abducted and Killed in Manipur

Manipur Today 

In a deeply disturbing event, a 45-year-old daily wage worker from the Chiru (Naga) community, one of the smallest indigenous tribes in Manipur, was abducted and brutally murdered by unidentified attackers.

The grim news was disclosed when Jatakpon Mechek, the wife of the victim, Merangir Mechek, spoke to the media at the mortuary of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal on Tuesday, July 16.

Merangir Mechek, a resident of Kangchup village—situated between the Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district and the Meitei-populated Imphal West district—left his home on Monday morning, July 15, at around 8:30 am to seek his daily livelihood.

However, by 8:30 pm, he was brought back to his village with critical injuries, delivered by unknown individuals to the village women, as recounted by his wife.

Despite being rushed to RIMS hospital in Imphal, Merangir succumbed to his injuries early on Tuesday, July 16.

His wife has urged the authorities to ensure that justice is served for this heinous crime. Merangir leaves behind his wife and four children.

In the wake of the brutal killing, Kangchup Chiru village chairman Alen Thanga and Meira Paibi leader Anei Jachi condemned the act and warned of significant protests until justice is achieved.

A Joint Action Committee, formed in response to the murder, has declared that they will not claim Merangir’s body until those responsible are apprehended.

The Chiru community, among the earliest settlers in Manipur and Assam, has been recorded in Manipur since the 12th century. Once considered part of the “Old Kuki” tribes, they now identify as a Naga tribe.

The Chiru language, also known as Chiru (Naga), is spoken in the Senapati, Noney, and Cachar districts of Manipur, as well as in Assam’s Cachar district.