Key Points
- Victim Profile: 18-year-old Kuki woman at time of assault, died at age 20 after a 20-month trauma battle
- Incident Details: Abducted May 15, 2023, from Imphal’s New Checkon area by four men, gang-raped and abandoned in critical condition
- Investigation Status: CBI took over the case in August 2023, but charges remain unframed against two accused who received bail on January 2, 2026
- Death Location: Conflicting reports state she died either at a Guwahati hospital or at her home in Churachnadpur while undergoing treatment
- Community Response: Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum and Kuki Students’ Organization held candlelight vigils, demanding separate administration for Kuki-Zo community safety
- Legal Proceedings: Special CBI court in Guwahati has yet to frame charges, though accused appeared via video conference stating readiness for trial
The young woman was forcibly taken from Imphal’s New Checkon area on the evening of May 15, 2023, just 12 days after ethnic violence erupted between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities. According to her complaint, four men attacked her near an ATM, forced her into a vehicle, and subjected her to repeated physical assault and gang rape at an unknown location. The Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) alleged that members of the women’s group ‘Meira Paibi’ participated in her abduction before she was handed to ‘Arambai Tenggol’ members, who took her to the Langol area, assaulted her, and abandoned her in the Bishnupur district.
Prolonged Medical Struggle
After the assault, the victim suffered severe uterine complications, deep psychological trauma, and life-threatening physical injuries that never fully healed. She initially received treatment in relief camps in Kangpokpi district before being transferred to multiple hospitals across Manipur and Nagaland. With assistance from a Kuki-Zo government official who secured limited financial support under a central government scheme, her family transported her to Guwahati for advanced medical care over 500 kilometers away. Despite extensive treatment, she never recovered from the trauma, and her physical condition continued deteriorating until she died in mid-January 2026.
Investigation Delays and Legal Limbo
The family filed a zero FIR at Kangpokpi police station on July 21, 2023, which was transferred to Porompat police station in Imphal East, where the crime occurred. Within a month, the case was handed to the Central Bureau of Investigation, yet 20 months later, justice remains elusive. Shockingly, the two accused individuals appeared before the special CBI court in Guwahati via video conference on January 2, 2026, where they received bail of Rs 30,000 each with one surety, despite charges not being formally framed. The court has transferred all Manipur ethnic violence cases to designated judges in Assam to protect victims and witnesses, but the slow pace has drawn severe criticism from human rights organizations.
Outcry and Demands for Separate Administration
Following news of her death, the ITLF organized candlelight vigils across Kangpokpi and Churachandpur, with approximately 15,000 attendees demanding accountability. The Kuki Students’ Organization (KSO) issued a strong statement insisting her death be officially recognized as a direct consequence of the 2023 violence, warning that any contrary narrative would constitute a denial of justice. The ITLF explicitly stated that the Kuki-Zo people now have “no option but to demand a separate administration for their safety, dignity, and existence,” highlighting the community’s complete loss of faith in the state’s protective mechanisms. As Manipur remains under President’s Rule, this case has become emblematic of systemic failures that allowed perpetrators to evade accountability while victims suffered prolonged trauma without justice.
