Manipur security adviser says man burnt alive in viral video was Kuki, recommends CBI probe

The video, says Kuldiep Singh, was taken the same day as the incident of Kuki women being paraded naked, a video of which had gone viral in July.

Representational image of security forces in Manipur | Photo: Praveen Jain, ThePrint

Imphal: Manipur security advisor IPS Kuldiep Singh (retd) has confirmed that the man being burnt alive in a viral video doing the rounds belonged to the Kuki community. The video, he told ThePrint, is from 4 May when ethnic clashes ripped through Manipur. “We have recommended the case to the CBI and it is likely to take up the case for investigation,” said Singh.

The police have identified the deceased as Lal Ding Thanga Khongsai alias Lal James (37), a resident of Hou Hong Ching Village, Kangpokpi District. His body is currently being kept at JNIMS Hospital in Imphal.

On Sunday, a purported video of a man set ablaze was circulated widely across social media platforms. The video showed the man — dressed in a black T-shirt and camouflage print trousers, lying face down and motionless — being set on fire. The video had the word “Kuki” scrawled on it. Two feet could be seen in the video and several voices were heard saying no photos should be taken. Explosions were also heard in the background.

“An FIR was filed on the day of the incident; it occurred in the same sequence of events(i.e. the same day) following the Kuki women being paraded naked that had gone viral later in July,” added Singh, who spoke to media persons Monday.

The Kuki organisations, so far, have not issued any statement regarding the video.

In July, a video of two Kuki-Zomi women being paraded naked by a mob of men and being sexually assaulted had gone viral. The horrific video shocked the nation, further intensifying the already volatile situation in Manipur.

The ethnic clashes between the tribal Kuki community and the dominant Meiteis in Manipur had begun on 3 May. In response to the violence, internet services were suspended to contain the law-and-order situation in the state.

The official death toll as per police records stands at 75, with 1,439 injured.

Combing operations to recover stolen weapons

Kuldiep Singh also spoke about the joint search operation launched by security forces and Manipur police in vulnerable areas to recover the weapons stolen from the police armouries during the clashes in May. “We conducted raids in Imphal East, Imphal West, Kakching, Thoubal and Churachandpur districts Sunday,” he said.

11 arms, 20 ammunition, 2 kg gun powder, one 51 mm mortar, one 36 hand grenade, 10 improvised mortars and two radio sets were recovered during the operations, he added.

According to Manipur Police, 5,669 weapons were stolen during the violence. Till 30 September, 1,344 weapons had been recovered — 1,249 sophisticated weapons, and 95 country made weapons.

Securities forces on their way to Imphal-Churachanpur road | Photo: Praveen Jain, ThePrint

Two weeks ago, the state government in a statement had warned citizens to surrender looted firearms within 15 days or face comprehensive search operations. “We cannot have civilians walking around with weapons and country-made guns in our society. It is detrimental for the law-and-order situation that has been fairly under control now with intermittent instances of violence,” said Kuldiep Singh.

The police Sunday arrested three persons from Bethel village in Churachandpur district. The security forces, he said, also apprehended a man near the Indo-Myanmar border along with 20 lakh rupees. The police suspect he was trying to cross into Myanmar to purchase illegal firearms and narcotics.

To keep strict vigilance in the sensitive areas, 133 checkpoints have been installed in different districts of Manipur, both in the hill and the valley, and Police have detained 1,366 persons so far in connection with violations across the state, said Singh.

(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)