IMPHAL, Nov 14:   The autopsy report of a 31-year-old Hmar woman killed in an attack in Jiribam district, Manipur, has revealed disturbing details about the brutal nature of her death.

According to the report, the woman, a schoolteacher and mother of three, suffered multiple wounds, including broken bones and a severely damaged skull. Her body was 99% burned, with her right upper limb, parts of both lower limbs, and facial features completely

missing.

The woman’s husband filed an FIR, alleging that she was raped before their home was set on fire by suspected “Meitei militants” in their village, Zairawn, on November 7. While the autopsy could not confirm sexual assault due to the extensive charring of the body, the report detailed that a metallic nail, 5 cm long, was embedded in her left thigh, and she had a penetrating wound on her right thigh.

The autopsy, conducted at Silchar Medical College and Hospital in Assam, concluded that the cause of death was shock resulting from third-degree burns, which covered almost her entire body. The report also indicated that the body’s burned and separated bone fragments showed no signs of vital reaction, suggesting that the injuries occurred prior to death. The time of death was estimated to be between 24 to 36 hours before the autopsy.

The night of the attack saw several other homes in the village also set on fire, with visuals of the incident circulating on social media. The attackers, suspected to be insurgents, are believed to have also shot the woman in the leg before destroying the house.

This violence comes amid ongoing ethnic tensions in the region, with the attack in Jiribam intensifying the strife.

Just days before, a confrontation between the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and suspected Kuki insurgents led to the deaths of 10 men, which has sparked further controversy.

Kuki civil society groups have alleged that the deceased were “village volunteers,” but the police refuted the claims, stating they recovered military-grade weapons, including RPG launchers and assault rifles, from the site.