Imphal: A renewed outbreak of violence between Kuki and Naga communities in the hill districts of Manipur has claimed nine lives, driving authorities to step up security and issue urgent appeals for calm. The latest killings occurred across Kamjong, Ukhrul, and Kangpokpi districts over Friday and Saturday, leaving the region tense.
Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh condemned the civilian casualties and the escalation of violence, stating that he directed administrative and law enforcement branches to take immediate measures to restore order and protect residents. Emphasizing the need for dialogue and communal harmony, the Chief Minister urged all local groups to exercise restraint.
In response to the unrest, officials confirmed that additional security personnel have been dispatched to the hardest-hit areas, particularly Kangpokpi and Kamjong. The latest cycle of violence started Friday night in Chassad village, located within the Kamjong district, when unidentified attackers shot and killed a 22-year-old mother of five.
This initial shooting provoked a prolonged firefight between Kuki and Naga armed factions that persisted into Saturday morning. During the clashes, a 42-year-old man was killed and ten residential structures were burned down. Local authorities subsequently imposed prohibitory orders under Section 162 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita to curb further disturbances.
Additional casualties were reported Saturday when suspected militants targeted Tapon and Makui villages in Kangpokpi district, resulting in the deaths of two Naga village guards named M Daimai and R Gangmei, along with another individual identified as Ringkangmai. Furthermore, a Naga civil society group, the Working Committee JTC Manipur, reported that militants decapitated a 52-year-old resident named Ajinbou R, and appealed for the return of his remains to ensure proper funeral rites.
Simultaneously, suspected militants infiltrated Ningchou village, a Tangkhul Naga settlement near the international border with Myanmar in Kamjong district, opening fire and killing two residents identified as Ngachanso Ningshen and Leishishan Leishadang. Security personnel deployed to the scene following reports that the attackers escaped across the nearby border.
In Ukhrul district, another fatality occurred on Saturday when suspected militants targeted a vehicle near Chepu Yaolen village, killing 40-year-old driver Sandeep Rai inside his car. Heavy exchanges of gunfire were similarly documented between armed factions in Makui Ashang and Tapon.
Official figures indicate that recurring conflicts between Kuki and Naga populations have resulted in more than 40 deaths and numerous burned homes since February. These fresh hostilities follow earlier large-scale ethnic conflicts in Manipur involving Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and valley-adjacent Kuki groups, which previously caused hundreds of fatalities and widespread displacement.