The killing of Athuan Abonmai, former president of Zeliangrong Baudi (Assam-Manipur-Nagaland) on Wednesday reflects the failure of the state to uphold human rights and fundamental freedom, and inapt handling of the incident to ensure the security of citizens, the United Women Organisation Tamenglong (UWOT) stated on Friday.

The UWOT in a release strongly condemned the killing of Abonmai in the wake of the 'Go to Hills 2.0' event jointly organised by the district administration and Joint Tribes Council on September 22 in Tamenglong District.

"In the midst of the event, a few meters away from where the chief minister, cabinet ministers along with high-level officials were gracing the program with high security and maximum security personnel were deployed, our Late Leader Athuan Abonmai was abducted by unidentified personnel in full public and security personnel view. Later, his lifeless body was reportedly recovered from a forest area near Pallong village with severe marks of tortures," UWOT stated in a release.

It stated that the incident reflects the failure of the state's primary responsibility for the protection of civilians.