A Meitei man-Kuki woman romance that started in Manipur has ended in tragedy in the national capital.
A 23-year-old Manipuri Kuki woman was discovered dead in a Munirka flat in South Delhi on Tuesday, while her live-in partner, a Meitei man, was found seriously injured. Police indicate that the case seems to be one of domestic violence that took a fatal turn, although investigations are continuing.
As per Delhi Police, the victim was identified as [name withheld], while her boyfriend, [name withheld], is hospitalized in a serious condition. The police learned of the incident when neighbours complained to them of a noise coming from the rented apartment where the couple lived. When police responded to the call, they found the woman lifeless with stab injuries, while the man was bleeding and half-conscious.The initial inquiry reveals that the man reportedly stabbed the woman after a furious fight before he tried to kill himself. “A knife has been recovered from the location. The door of the flat was locked from within, which means no external intrusion,” a senior police officer said. “We are waiting for the man to become fully conscious before taking his statement.”The two had allegedly been staying together in Delhi for some months following their migration from Manipur in the wake of the ethnic violence between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities in 2023.
Their love relationship, which had been regarded by friends as a reflection of reconciliation between the two communities, had grown problematic in recent months.The woman’s family members claim that she had been experiencing physical and emotional harassment. As reported, the woman’s father indicated that the accused had initiated a video call with him just moments before the attack, allegedly making him watch the assault. However, the police have not yet verified this, stating it is “a matter of investigation.Sources add the couple frequently quarreled about money worries and social disapproval from both sides. “They had come to Delhi seeking a new beginning, away from the ethnic tension at home. But relations between them had become strained,” one of the couple’s friends added.
The tragic incident has again brought into focus the fragile inter-community relations between Kukis and Meiteis as violence broke out in Manipur a year ago. Not only have thousands been displaced, but personal relationships, ranging from inter-community marriages to friendships, have been damaged too by the continuing ethnic strife.Rights activists and community leaders have denounced the murder, describing it as “a human tragedy overshadowed by deeper social divides.””Not a case of domestic violence alone; it’s also a mirror to the emotional trauma that Manipur youth bear after the war,” observes a social worker based in Delhi, who deals with displaced Northeast students. “Love between Meitei and Kuki persons has become a silent victim of hatred and distrust.”Police have lodged a case of murder and attempted suicide under appropriate sections of the Indian Penal Code.
Forensic experts have lifted evidence from the flat, and the post-mortem report is being awaited. Authorities have also contacted the Manipur Bhavan in New Delhi to help both families.As the probe goes on, the tragedy has also triggered an outpouring of sorrow on social media, where lots of people have described the couple’s destiny as a “heartbreaking symbol of what conflict can destroy.”What was once a love that was willing to conquer profound ethnic divisions, their tale is now a somber reminder of how tenuous peace and relations are in the presence of Manipur’s ongoing turmoil.
