Imphal, June 8: A tragic incident occurred in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on Monday, where a 58-year-old man from the Naga community was shot dead in the forest. He had gone to collect firewood just hours before the attack.
The deceased has been identified as Chunjanglung Panmei, a resident of the area and a village guardian. His murder took place in the hilly forests of Kangpokpi district.
According to officials, Panmei was gathering firewood for domestic use when the incident happened. A police officer reported that locals, alerted by gunfire, rushed into the forest with security personnel to search for Panmei.
Later, his body was recovered from the woods, showing multiple gunshot wounds, including one to the head. This village is located near Loibol Khullen, where three civilians, including a woman, were killed by unidentified gunmen on June 5, raising security concerns in the area.
Meanwhile, the Naga People’s Organization (NPO) claimed that Panmei was serving as a volunteer village guardian and condemned the murder as a “ruthless killing.” In a statement, the NPO alleged that Panmei was targeted not for any wrongdoing but solely because of his Naga identity.
The organization urged the relevant authorities to initiate an immediate, thorough, and timely investigation into the incident and to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Another local Naga group, the Pongringlong Youth Club, also condemned the murder and demanded swift action against those responsible.
Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh expressed deep sorrow over Chunjanglung Panmei’s death and condemned the incident. In a statement, he described the murder as a heinous and cowardly act of violence against an innocent citizen. He assured that the Manipur Police and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) are conducting operations to locate the culprits and bring them to justice.
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