Imphal: Fresh tension was reported along the Kangpokpi-Senapati border on Wednesday afternoon after unidentified persons allegedly set fire to three abandoned houses in Kailenjang village, amid reports of gunfire in the area.
According to local and security sources, the incident took place at around 2:30 pm, shortly after residents reported hearing bursts of gunfire around the village.
No casualties were reported as the houses had already been vacated. However, the fire destroyed the structures and reportedly damaged or destroyed important documents and other belongings left behind.
Personnel from the Senapati district police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were deployed to the area to restore security. Two CRPF platoons were already stationed in the vicinity, officials said.
Kailenjang has remained largely deserted since September 26, when three Naga civilians -Rocky Mao, Kumar Poumai and Ashiho Sani were killed in an attack reportedly attributed to suspected Kuki militants.
Security agencies are investigating whether Wednesday’s arson is connected to the earlier killings. They are also examining reports of gunfire heard before the houses were set ablaze.
The latest incident has triggered renewed exchanges between community representatives over the security situation in the region.
Kuki village authorities condemned the violence and alleged that the Centre has failed to ensure equal security and accountability. They claimed that more than 28 Kuki civilians, including pregnant women and members of the clergy, have been killed across several districts in 2026, allegedly by armed groups including NSCN-IM and ZUF-K.
The Kuki representatives further alleged that no arrests or prosecutions had followed these incidents and accused authorities of a longstanding pattern of selective enforcement dating back to the 1990s.
Kuki civil society organisations have called for an immediate National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into civilian killings, compensation for affected families and the permanent deployment of Central Armed Police Forces in vulnerable border villages.
They warned that continued violence and what they described as inadequate security and accountability could further undermine public confidence in the authorities.