Imphal: Eight people have reportedly been killed, an entire village reduced to ashes and hundreds displaced following a fresh outbreak of violence across Manipur’s Kamjong and Ukhrul districts, according to reports on Saturday.
The clashes, which escalated late Friday night and continued into Saturday, reportedly claimed lives across the Tangkhul Naga, Kuki, Liangmai Naga and Gorkha communities, raising fresh concerns over the security situation in the volatile region.
In Kamjong district, two Tangkhul Nagas, identified as Leishisan Hungyo and his nephew Ngachanso Ningshen, were reportedly killed on Saturday morning in an alleged ambush by suspected Kuki militants in Ningchou village. Independent verification of the incident remains pending.
Local sources also reported that three suspected Kuki operatives were killed in the ensuing confrontation, while three Tangkhul Nagas sustained minor injuries. The bodies of the deceased were taken to Kamjong District Hospital for post-mortem examinations. The Tangkhul Naga Long was reportedly coordinating funeral arrangements ahead of the final rites in their native village.
In another incident in Makui, four Liangmai Nagas, Daimai Machungnammang, Ajinpou Ringkangmai, Robart and Dibambou Ringkangmai were reportedly killed. Local accounts alleged that Ajinpou Ringkangmai, the younger brother of the Makui village chairman, was beheaded by suspected Kuki militants. However, the claim has not been independently verified.
A member of the Gorkha community, identified in reports as either Sandeep Rai or Sanjit Raj Nepali, was also reportedly killed in an alleged ambush in the Chepu Yaolen area of Ukhrul district.
Meanwhile, the Kuki Human Rights Council (KHRC) condemned the violence, describing the incidents as targeted attacks against civilians. In a statement, the organisation alleged that state security personnel, including Manipur Police and the India Reserve Battalion (IRB), had colluded with Naga armed groups operating under a ceasefire arrangement to carry out coordinated operations. These allegations have not been independently verified.
The Council also alleged that 40-year-old Nu Domkhonei Touthang was shot dead on Friday night during a peaceful protest by women in Chassad village against the arrest of local residents.
According to the organisation, subsequent attacks by Naga groups on Saturday morning led to the burning of Chassad village. The Council further claimed that Michael Ngamminlen Haokip, a 23-year-old village guard, was killed while defending the settlement.
Demanding accountability for the deaths, the Council called for murder cases to be registered under Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against the state personnel and armed groups it accused of involvement.
Its demands also include the withdrawal of local state police from the affected districts, the deployment of neutral central security forces and a comprehensive relief package for families displaced by the violence.
The latest incidents have intensified concerns over the deteriorating security situation in Manipur, with reported casualties across multiple communities and the destruction of a village adding to the humanitarian challenges facing the affected areas.