A 30-year-old youth was shot in the heel by a Kuki militant sniper in Sinakeithei village on April 22. The Tangkhul Naga village has endured sustained armed attacks for over two months, with militants entrenched on Lungter Hill despite repeated appeals to the government.
IMPHAL — A deeply alarming incident unfolded on the afternoon of April 22, 2026, in Sinakeithei, a Tangkhul Naga village in Ukhrul district, Manipur. At approximately 4:00 p.m., a village youth identified as Chihanngam Rungsung, aged 30, was shot by militants from a bunker constructed on the Lungter Hill Range within the village vicinity. The bullet struck him in the heel, leaving him injured. He was administered first aid on the spot before being shifted to the nearest hospital in Ukhrul for further treatment.
Critically, the victim was not in any advancing or confrontational position at the time of the shooting. He was simply moving within the bounds of his own village when he was targeted. The Sinakeithei Village Authority, which issued a formal Situation Report on the same day under reference number mc/26/33, stated that the incident makes it unequivocally clear that even basic movement within one's own village has become life-threatening under the current circumstances.
The attack has been attributed to Kuki militant groups operating from fortified positions on Lungter Hill — positions that the village authority describes as having been established in full view of deployed security personnel without any apparent intervention.
Civilians Under Fire: Shooting Reported in Sinakeithei Village
— SpeakNaga_X (@SpeakNaga_X) April 22, 2026
A civilian from Sinakeithei Tangkhul Naga village in Ukhrul, Manipur, was shot in the foot by KukiTerrorist using a long-range sniper weapon between 4:00PM today from the illegal Lungter Bunker of KukiTerrorist. The… pic.twitter.com/eGrsUCXZBu
According to the Sinakeithei Village Authority, the Tangkhul Naga village has been under sustained and coordinated armed attack for over two months. During this period, Kuki militant groups have carried out continuous offensive activities, progressively encroaching into multiple areas of the village. They have constructed bunkers, trenches, and camps — particularly across the Lungter Hill Range, which has emerged as a key strategic stronghold for their operations.
Despite the deployment of the army and security forces within the village and the presence of regular patrols along the Lungter road, the situation on the ground has remained largely unchanged. Militants have continued to open fire indiscriminately and have, on several occasions, used explosives, creating an atmosphere of constant fear, instability, and danger for the village's residents.
The people of Sinakeithei have largely maintained a defensive stance, focusing on protecting their homes, land, and community rather than escalating the conflict. However, the village authority notes that this restraint has not deterred continued encroachment. On the contrary, militants have been constructing bunkers and fortifications in plain sight of the security personnel deployed in the area, raising serious concerns among locals about the apparent absence of intervention against these activities.
THE SITUATION IN SINAKEITHEI TODAY!
— SpeakNaga_X (@SpeakNaga_X) April 22, 2026
SINAKEITHEI | 22 April 2026
Situation Report from the SINAKEITHEI Village Authority about the events that unfolded today.
Today, the 22nd of April 2026, at around 4:00pm, in Sinakeithei Village, a village youth, Chihanngam Rungsung, aged… pic.twitter.com/f7MYBFWW4T
The army and security forces stationed in the area have issued warnings that any party initiating fire would face severe consequences. The people of Sinakeithei state they have respected and adhered to these directives with notable restraint. Despite this, firing by militants has continued without restraint. While there have been instances where security forces responded — seemingly with warning shots — the village authority notes that there appears to be little follow-through in enforcing the stated consequences. This disparity between compliance on one side and continued violations on the other has deepened concerns about the consistency and effectiveness of enforcement on the ground.
A further grievance raised repeatedly by villagers relates to the pattern of aerial surveillance. Whenever violent incidents are initiated by the militants, helicopters are quickly observed hovering over Tangkhul Naga-inhabited areas. Residents have come to perceive this as a response aimed at monitoring whether Tangkhul Nagas might retaliate, rather than assessing the actual source of aggression or taking immediate corrective action at the point of origin.
The village authority describes the actions of the security forces as increasingly uneven — strictly restraining the people of Sinakeithei while appearing comparatively passive toward ongoing militant activities. Locals liken this to a situation where misconduct is overlooked on one side, while those bearing the consequences face greater scrutiny and control. This has deepened mistrust and frustration among the affected population.
When questioned, security forces stated that the militants are firing from distances beyond effective shooting range. However, multiple accounts from villagers contradict this assertion, pointing out that bullets have reached residential areas, damaging homes and property — and that the April 22 shooting has now resulted in a direct civilian injury. This, the village authority argues, clearly establishes that the firing is within lethal range and constitutes a direct and ongoing threat to civilian lives.
The Sinakeithei Village Authority states that Kuki militants have effectively captured parts of the village, establishing a dominant position and using it to consolidate their presence further. The people of Sinakeithei, in contrast, are being compelled into a position of passivity — enduring the occupation of their own land while remaining constrained in their ability to respond. The village authority describes this as giving rise to a growing sense of injustice, vulnerability, and abandonment.
In this context, the village authority has invoked the provisions of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to the right to private defence, which permits individuals to protect their own lives, the lives of others, and their property against immediate and unlawful aggression. The authority emphasises, however, that the people of Sinakeithei do not seek conflict — they seek security, protection, and the restoration of their land and dignity under the law. Any defensive measures, they stress, would be strictly for the purpose of protecting human life from imminent harm, preventing further unlawful occupation of their land, and safeguarding homes and essential means of survival.
The Sinakeithei Village Authority has confirmed that the village has written numerous memoranda to the government requesting the removal of the Kuki militant bunkers on Lungter Hill. These appeals have gone unanswered. A ground report from the morning of April 23 confirms that firing continues unabated from the Lungter Hill Range bunkers, with militants described as relentlessly attempting to take control of Sinakeithei through continuous attacks both day and night.
The village has also addressed the Government of India through the Prime Minister's Office and the Chief Minister of Manipur, requesting the removal of the illegally occupied bunkers. As of the morning of April 23, no intervention has been reported.
Villagers are asking pointedly whether the government is waiting for more casualties before acting. The village authority has described the situation as reflecting not only a grave security failure but also a growing humanitarian concern, with residents living under constant threat and with diminishing confidence in the adequacy of the protection being provided to them.
