The post-mortem reports of 10 Kuki-Zo youths, including a minor, recently killed in an alleged gunfight with the CRPF, show multiple fatal gunshot wounds, most of which were inflicted from behind.

The autopsy findings suggest that the only injuries found on their bodies were gunshot wounds, news agency PTI reported.

According to the Manipur police, the youths, suspected to be militants, were killed during a gunfight with security forces on November 11.

Officials stated that the clash occurred when insurgents, wearing camouflage and armed with advanced weapons, opened fire on the Borobekra police station and a nearby CRPF camp in Jakuradhor, Jiribam district.

Six of the bodies were brought to Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) in Assam on November 12, while the remaining four arrived on November 14, showing signs of early decomposition.

The time of death for the bodies examined on November 12 was estimated to be 24-36 hours prior, while those arriving on November 14 were believed to have died 72-96 hours earlier.

The bodies exhibited multiple bullet wounds, with some victims sustaining more than a dozen injuries. Additionally, four of the bodies were missing one eye each. The cause of death is yet to be confirmed, as doctors are awaiting chemical analysis reports of the viscera.

The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), representing the Kuki-Zo community, asserts that the deceased were village volunteers. However, the Manipur government maintains that they were militants.

Since ethnic violence erupted in Manipur in May 2023, the state has witnessed hundreds of deaths, displacement of tens of thousands, and deepening ethnic divisions.