Authorities in India’s northeastern Manipur state have discovered the bodies of six men from the Naga community who were believed to have been kidnapped by armed militants nearly four weeks ago, according to state police officials who announced the findings on Wednesday.
The victims, all members of the Christian Naga community, are thought to be among individuals who were taken captive from Leilon Vaiphei village on May 13, according to a statement posted by Manipur Police on X.
Police located the bodies following an extensive search operation that lasted more than 24 hours and involved 450 officers along with sniffer dogs, the police statement indicated.
The deaths occur against a backdrop of mounting ethnic conflict that initially erupted in May 2023 between the state’s majority Hindu Meitei population and the predominantly Christian Kuki tribal groups, with disputes centered on economic advantages and employment quotas.
The violence expanded in February when the Naga community, representing the state’s third major ethnic group, became drawn into the conflict following reports that Kuki individuals had attacked a Naga man.
The ongoing ethnic strife has resulted in approximately 260 deaths and forced more than 60,000 residents from their homes since the violence first began.
