Senapati, May 14, 2026: Tension continued to escalate in Manipur after 23 villagers from Taphou Kuki Village were allegedly abducted in Senapati district on May 13, prompting urgent appeals for government intervention and immediate action to secure their safe release.
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| Residents of Taphou Kuki Village stage a sit-in protest demanding the safe release of 23 villagers allegedly abducted in Senapati district, while calling for action against those accused in the incident. |
According to a written complaint submitted to the Officer-in-Charge of Senapati Police Station by Taphou Kuki Village Authority chairman Lenkhomang Chongloi, the incident took place around 1:30 PM while the villagers were returning home from work.
The complaint stated that seven trucks and one Alto car carrying villagers from Taphou Kuki Village were intercepted at two separate locations - Senapati Petrol Pump at Rikhumai Taphou and near the entrance gate of Mt. Everest College at Phyamai Taphou.
The villagers were reportedly detained, their mobile phones allegedly confiscated, and later taken towards Karong. The complaint claimed the incident occurred despite the presence of both Central security personnel and Manipur Police.
The village authority further alleged that the vehicles and their occupants had initially been escorted by state police personnel for safety but were later stopped and forcibly taken away by volunteers of the Senapati District Students Association (SDSA) along with members of the local populace.
The complaint urged Senapati Police to immediately register an FIR and take urgent steps to trace the whereabouts of the missing villagers, stressing that many of them are daily wage labourers whose families are now living in fear and uncertainty.
A list attached with the complaint identified all 23 missing villagers, including women, elderly persons, and minors. The complaint also included details of the eight vehicles allegedly intercepted during the incident.
The development came just hours after the deadly ambush on church leaders in Kangpokpi district, where armed assailants attacked two vehicles carrying pastors and delegates returning from a church conference. The attack left at least three pastors dead and several others injured, further intensifying tensions across the hill districts of Manipur.
Amid growing anxiety over the disappearance of the villagers, residents of Taphou Kuki Village later staged a peaceful sit-in protest demanding immediate government intervention and the safe return of the abducted persons.
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Protesters urged both the Manipur government and security agencies to act swiftly, alleging that innocent civilians were being targeted despite heightened deployment of security forces in the region. Family members of the missing villagers expressed fear over their safety and appealed to authorities to ensure that no harm comes to them.
As of the filing of this report, there was no official statement from Senapati Police regarding the whereabouts or condition of the missing villagers.
