Off-duty solider abducted from his home, killed in strife-torn Manipur

An off-duty Indian Army soldier was kidnapped by militants from his home in Manipur on Saturday morning and his body was found the following morning with a gunshot wound to his head, officials aware of the incident said on Sunday, in the latest fatality in a state torn apart by ethnic conflict for over four months now.

- Prawesh Lama

The victim was identified as sepoy Serto Thangthang Kom, who was taken at gunpoint from in front of his minor son at their home in Neikanlong, Imphal West. Kom, who was 41 and posted with a Defence Service Corps (DSC) platoon attached with the 302 Company in Leimakhong, was at home on leave.

"Indian Army strongly condemns the killing of Sep Serto Thangthang Kom and stands by his family in these difficult times. Army has rushed a team to assist the bereaved family in every possible way. His ritual rites will be performed as per the family's wishes," said an army official, who asked not to be named.

Kom's murder is the second in a week of a service police or security force officer killed over the ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities. His body was found with a single gunshot wound to the head in Khuningthek village under Sangolmang area in Imphal East, 15km from home.

DSC is a corps of the Indian Army that provides protection and security to designated defence installations.

The people behind Kom's murder have not been identified.