Mizoram Police have arrested two members of the Village Defence Party (VDP) for the brutal killing of a 31-year-old man, David Lalmuanpuia, near Aizawl on December 18. The accused, K. T. Zonunsanga (31) and R. Lalhmangaihzuala (56), were arrested on Sunday and later produced in court, where they were sent to police custody.
The murder occurred in the Tuirial Airfield area, around 18 km east of Aizawl. The VDP members allegedly killed David Lalmuanpuia after accusing him of being involved in a theft case. The theft involved the alleged stealing of ₹26,000 from a pastor’s quarters, and the victim was accused of being one of the culprits.
Lalmuanpuia and his friend, Lalduhsaka, were detained by the VDP members on the night of December 18. The VDP members reportedly questioned and assaulted Lalmuanpuia for several hours, despite the pleas of his mother, Nunthangmawii, to intervene. She claims that despite her requests for mercy, neither the VDP members nor the pastor listened. Tragically, after the prolonged assault, Lalmuanpuia was found unconscious in the VDP room and was later transported to a hospital in Aizawl, where he succumbed to his injuries on the morning of December 19.
Upon receiving a complaint from Nunthangmawii, the police registered a case of culpable homicide under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The two arrested men, Zonunsanga and Lalhmangaihzuala, are members of the Village Defence Party in the Tuirial Airfield area. During the investigation, the police uncovered details about the assault and detention of Lalmuanpuia, which led to the arrests.