New Delhi/Imphal: The autopsy report of a 31-year-old woman killed in Manipur’s Jiribam district has revealed harrowing details of her injuries, including broken bones and a nearly fully charred body. The woman, a school teacher and mother of three, was reportedly attacked by suspected insurgents late Thursday night, adding further distress to the region already plagued by ethnic violence.
The report, conducted at Silchar Medical College and Hospital in Assam, describes multiple wounds, with 99% of her body burned, rendering the remains unrecognizable. “A penetrating wound of size 1 cm x 0.75 cm was seen over the back of the right thigh,” with the injury emerging as an exit wound in the upper thigh. Additionally, a metallic nail was discovered embedded in her left thigh. Portions of her limbs and facial structure were missing due to the severe burns.
The woman’s husband alleged in his police report that she was raped before their house was set ablaze by suspected “Meitei militants.” However, due to the extent of burns, the autopsy could not determine the assault conclusively. According to the autopsy report, “Death was due to shock as a result of third-degree mixed flame antemortem burns… covering 99 per cent of the total body surface area.”
This incident has sparked further tension in Manipur’s Jiribam district, a region already grappling with complex socio-ethnic strife. On Monday, just days after the woman’s death, a shootout involving security forces and suspected Kuki insurgents left ten dead. Civil society groups have voiced concerns, claiming those killed were local “village volunteers,” though police disputed this, releasing images of recovered military-grade weaponry not typically accessible to villagers.
Ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities has escalated in Manipur, with longstanding disputes over land, resources, and socio-political representation. The Meiteis, seeking Scheduled Tribe status, reside primarily in the Imphal Valley, while the Kukis dominate many hill regions and advocate for a separate administration, citing discrimination and marginalization. This prolonged strife has resulted in the deaths of over 220 individuals and displaced nearly 50,000 residents.
