Karbi Anglong, September 5: The body of Nehkam Jomhao, a 59-year-old prominent leader of the Thadou community, was recovered from a river in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district, five days after his abduction and alleged killing by members of an armed group.
According to local police, Jomhao was abducted from his residence in Chonghang Veng, Manja area, on the evening of August 30. The gruesome incident 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, operating under a ceasefire agreement akin to Manipur’s suspension of operations pact, issued a statement on September 4 expressing shock and sorrow over the killing. The group’s general secretary, LS Gangte, named five alleged perpetrators believed to be involved: Samson Kuki, Jangpu Hangsing, Mangneo Sitlhou, Kakap Lenthang, and Thangmoi Hmar.
Earlier, on August 31, District Superintendent of Police Sanjib Saikia confirmed the arrest of six individuals, including suspected KRA members, in connection with the case. “They confessed to having killed the abducted person,” Saikia said, adding that investigations are ongoing to ascertain the motive behind the killing.
Reports suggest that Jomhao’s death may be linked to his recent efforts to foster peace with Meitei organisations. Thadou groups claim that his reconciliation initiatives conflicted with the interests of certain armed factions in the region.
The Thadou community has often found itself entangled in the broader Kuki-Meitei conflict that escalated in Manipur since May 2023. Unlike other groups, the Thadous have consistently rejected inclusion under the larger Kuki tribal identity, maintaining a separate ethnic status.
