Body of killed Thadou leader recovered

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Sep 5 : The body of a prominent Thadou leader Nehkam Jomhao (59) has been recovered from a river in Assam's Karbi Anglong district, five days after he was brutally tortured and killed by Kuki militants.
The Kuki Revolutionary Army (Assam) which is under ceasefire agreement in Assam, similar to the SoO pact of Manipur, had confirmed that five of its cadres were responsible for the heinous crime. Nehkam Jomhao (59) was abducted from his residence at Chonghang Veng in the Manja area on August 30 evening around 7.30 pm before being killed, according to local police. His death has sent shockwaves through the Thadou community, which has been asserting its distinct ethnic identity separate from other tribal groups in the region.
The Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) Assam, which operates under a ceasefire agreement issued a statement on September 4 expressing being "shocked and deeply saddened by the heinous crime." The group's general secretary LS Gangte identified five alleged perpetrators : Samson Kuki, Jangpu Hangsing, Mangneo Sitlhou, Kakap Lenthang and Thangmoi Hmar. Earlier on August 31, District Superintendent of Police Sanjib Saikia confirmed that six people, including alleged KRA members, had been arrested in connection with the case. "They confessed to having killed the abducted person," Saikia told media, adding that investigations were ongoing to determine the motive. The killing appears linked to Jomhao's recent peace initiatives. Thadou groups claim he was murdered for pursuing reconciliation efforts that conflicted with the positions of Kuki armed factions. (With inputs from India Today NE)