Manipur horror: 10-year-old son only witness to soldier father’s kidnapping, recounts shocking ordeal

Another shocking incident from the violence in Manipur has surfaced, where an Indian Army soldier was abducted from his home on gunpoint and then murdered in cold blood, while the only witness to the horrific incident was his 10-year-old son.

Indian Army Sepoy Serto Thangthang Kom was on leave and had decided to visit his family in his home in Imphal West’s Tarung when he was abducted by unidentified men in front of his son, who ended up recounting the entire horror.

The army soldier’s 10-year-old son said that he and his father were together and working on the front porch of their house when three men forcefully entered their home. They pointed a gun at Kom’s head and forced him to get inside a white vehicle.

While quoting his young son, the investigating officials said, “The armed men placed a pistol on the Sepoy’s head and forced him into a white vehicle before fleeing the spot.”

Sepoy Kom’s body was found early morning on Sunday, abandoned at Khuningthek village, east of Mongjam under Sogolmang PS in Imphal East. There was a single bullet wound on the soldier’s head and his identity was confirmed by his brother and brother-in-law.

The targeted killing of the Army soldier comes over three months after Manipur became engulfed with violence and insurgency. Just a few days ago, a sub-inspector of the Manipur Police was shot dead in the midst of ethnic violence while he was on duty at the N. Chingphei village.

Sepoy Serto Thangthang Kom was a 41-year-old soldier of the Indian Army’s Defence Security Corps (DSC) and was deployed at Leimakhong Military Station, Manipur, officials said, adding that he is survived by his wife and two children.

The ethnic violence in Manipur was sparked between two communities – Meiteis and Kuki tribes – regarding the Scheduled Tribe status for the former, which sparked protests from the latter. Till now, over 170 people have been killed in Manipur, while thousands remain injured.

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