Kuki woman dies after alleged gang rape during 2023 Manipur ethnic violence, groups demand justice

According to Kuki organisations operating in Churachandpur and the national capital, the woman was abducted in Imphal in May 2023 and subjected to gang rape amid the early days of the violence. (File image)

• Kuki woman dies after trauma from 2023 Manipur ethnic violence and gang rape
• Kuki groups demand official recognition of her death as violence-related
• Calls grow for separate administration for tribal communities in Manipur

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Grief and anger swept through sections of the Kuki community after the death of a woman whose family and community members allege she never recovered from the physical and psychological wounds inflicted on her during the ethnic unrest that erupted in Manipur in 2023, reported PTI.

According to Kuki organisations operating in Churachandpur and the national capital, the woman was abducted in Imphal in May 2023 and subjected to gang rape amid the early days of the violence.

Though she managed to escape, they said the trauma and injuries haunted her until her death on January 10, which occurred while she was receiving medical care in Guwahati.

A women’s collective from the community said the victim’s life stood as a symbol of endurance despite extreme suffering. “For nearly three years, she carried pain that no human being should ever have to bear,” the Kuki-Zo Women's Forum, Delhi & NCR, said in its statement, adding that her courage would not be forgotten.

Ethnic clashes between Meiteis from the Imphal Valley and Kuki-Zo groups from the hill districts have left at least 260 people dead and displaced thousands since May 2023. The prolonged unrest led to the imposition of President’s Rule in the state in February last year.

The Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) described the woman’s death as further evidence of sustained targeting of their community. “Her death is yet another painful testimony to the ruthless manner in which the Kuki-Zo people have been targeted,” the organisation said. The ITLF also held a candlelight march in Churachandpur on Saturday evening to honour her memory.

Both ITLF and other Kuki bodies reiterated their long-standing demand for administrative separation, arguing coexistence was no longer viable. The ITLF said a separate setup was essential “for our safety, dignity, and survival”.

The Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO), Delhi & NCR, alleged that the case had seen no serious follow-through despite repeated appeals. “We categorically assert that her death must be officially recognised as resulting from the violence committed against her in 2023. Any attempt to treat it otherwise would amount to a denial of justice and an erasure of responsibility,” the group said.

The KSO further urged the Centre to fast-track the formation of a separate administration for tribal communities, describing the move as “both necessary and unavoidable”.