Kuki-Zo woman dies after years of suffering; tribal groups demand justice

Guwahati: A 20-year-old Kuki-Zo woman, who was abducted and gang-raped during the ethnic violence in Manipur in 2023, died on January 10, 2026, after nearly three years of prolonged physical and psychological suffering.

Kuki-Zo organisations said the young woman never fully recovered from the brutal assault and continued to battle trauma and health complications until her death. Her death has triggered widespread anger and grief among tribal organisations and Left-leaning political parties, who have condemned the failure of the system to deliver justice while she was alive.

Several groups said the incident stands as a grim reminder of the targeted violence faced by the Kuki-Zo community during the Manipur unrest. The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) organised a candlelight march to pay tribute to the victim and to reiterate demands for justice and accountability.

Tribal leaders stated that the woman’s death symbolised the deep wounds inflicted on the community, both physically and emotionally, during the violence. “This is yet another painful testimony to the inhuman targeting of the Kuki-Zo people. We are left with no option but to demand separate administration to ensure our safety, dignity and survival,” ITLF representatives said.

The Kuki-Zo Women’s Forum said the victim endured unimaginable pain for nearly three years. “She suffered what no human being should ever be forced to endure. Her death reflects not only the brutality of the crime but also the apathy that followed,” the organisation said in a statement.

According to Kuki-Zo women leaders, the survivor was initially reluctant to file a complaint due to severe trauma. However, after a video showing two women being paraded naked during the Manipur violence went viral, she gathered the courage to approach the police and seek justice.

The survivor lodged a First Information Report (FIR) on May 21, 2023, at the Kangpokpi police station. The case was later transferred to Porompat police station in Imphal, as the crime scene fell under its jurisdiction. Despite the passage of more than two years, no arrests have been made so far.

As per the FIR, the then 18-year-old was abducted from an ATM booth in Imphal’s New Chekon area by four armed men. She was allegedly forced into a vehicle, taken to a hilltop location, and gang-raped by three of the assailants. The survivor had earlier stated that she was subjected to sexual assault, torture and physical violence during the ordeal.

Her death has renewed calls for a fair and time-bound investigation, with tribal groups urging the authorities to ensure accountability and justice for the victim and her community.

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