29 March 2026 – Three local residents were arrested by State Security and Peace Commission (SSPC) police in Hakha town and later confirmed dead, prompting strong condemnation from resistance forces who accused the junta of torture, extrajudicial killing, and fabricating evidence.
The victims — Mr. Thawng Tin Lian, 40, Mr. Thawng Van Mang, 33, and Mr. Dawt Hlei Sang, 28 — were detained around 11:00 am on 23 March 2026 in Hakha Khuathar Ward while heading out to hunt birds. They were carrying airguns and binoculars, items commonly used for small-game hunting in the area.
Local sources reported that the arrests occurred near the residence of the newly appointed Chin State Hluttaw Speaker, Mr. Kawl Lian Thang, not far from the Government Technological Institute (GTI) compound. Witnesses, including an elderly woman, described seeing the men in severe distress with visible blood and bruises, suggesting they had been beaten and tortured while in custody.
On 28 March, families were notified of the deaths. Ward leaders and Christian pastors requested the bodies from SSPC authorities, who reportedly promised to release them the following day. However, the bodies were not handed over as stated.
The Chinland Defence Force – Hakha (CDF-Hakha) strongly condemned the incident, describing the killings as inhumane and arbitrary. In a statement issued on 29 March, the group accused SSPC forces of deliberately placing a rifle near the victims’ bodies, photographing them, and circulating the images on social media in an apparent attempt to portray the civilians as armed insurgents.
CDF-Hakha warned that those responsible would be held accountable and urged Hakha residents, particularly the youth, to remain vigilant against unlawful arrests and to actively support the resistance against the “SSPC military dictatorship.”
Since the 2021 military coup, incidents of arbitrary arrests, torture, and extrajudicial killings have been widely documented in junta-controlled areas across Chin State. Resistance groups often accuse SSPC forces of staging evidence to justify lethal actions against civilians.
This case has heightened tensions in Hakha and reinforced calls from local resistance for greater civilian participation in the anti-junta movement. – Reporting by Daniel
