Manipur BJP leader claims his murder was planned on WhatsApp group: ‘Promise to give village land if...’

Michael Lamjathang Haokip, a BJP leader and member of the Thadou community, has filed a formal complaint against 15 people who were "directly or indirectly" involved in the Sunday attack on his residence.

In the FIR, Haokip also named two people who allegedly urged members of a WhatsApp group to kill him, NDTV reported. According to the report, in the FIR, one of these individuals offered "village land" as a reward for anyone who kills Haokip.

Haokip’s residence at Peniel village in Churachandpur district was attacked on Sunday night, hours after he participated in a panel discussion, "Kuki supremacy and its agenda", on a local TV channel.

Coming back to the FIR, Haokip told NDTV that he included printouts of WhatsApp group conversation screenshots that displayed discussions about his murder. In the screenshot, one person wrote, "SA (separate administration) will not be acceptable without killing LJT (Lamjathang) first, even if the central government is willing to grant us," while another had written, "I promise to give my village land if anyone kills Lamjathang."

Moreover, he also informed NDTV that the police and cyber cell will verify the phone numbers with service providers and if needed, request help from central anti-terror cybersecurity experts.

Manipur CM condemns attack

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh condemned the attack on the residence of the by armed miscreants in Churachandpur district. He said that legal action will be initiated against the culprits.

"The attack on the family members of Micheal Lamjathang, a leader of the Thadou community, one of the oldest among the ethnic tribes of Manipur as well as a BJP spokesperson, by vandalizing his house was an act of cowardice," he said in a post on X. 

Meanwhile, Thadou is one of the largest sub-tribes of Kukis.A number of related tribes are collectively called Kuki or Kuki Zo community, members of which mostly live in the hill districts of the northeastern state.

Meitei community members are the majority residents of the Imphal Valley region. Ethnic violence between them and the Kukis has left over 200 people dead since May last year and rendered thousands homeless.

(With inputs from PTI)