Ex-Armyman Among Two Killed in Militant Ambush on Ukhrul Highway; CSOs Demand Accountability

IMPHAL / UKHRUL — The killing of two Tangkhul Naga civilians in a brazen ambush by suspected Kuki militants on the Imphal-Ukhrul highway near TM Kasom on Saturday has drawn sharp and unequivocal condemnation from multiple Naga and Meetei civil society organisations, as well as from the Manipur government itself. The Central Working Committee of the Tangkhul Naga Foothill Organisation (TNFO), the Working Committee of Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL), the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), the United Naga Council (UNC), and several other civil society bodies have all issued strong statements holding the state and central governments directly accountable for the deaths, questioning the adequacy of security arrangements on the highway, and demanding immediate action. The incident, which occurred just one day after Chief Minister Y. Khemchand Singh's visit to Ukhrul under a so-called peace mission, has further deepened public anger and mistrust toward the administration.

The deceased have been identified as SW Chinaoshang, 45, a retired cadre of the Naga Regiment and son of SW Ruichumhao from Tashar village, and Yaruingam Vashum, 42, son of Thuimi Vashum from Kharasom CC village. Yaruingam, who was driving one of the vehicles in the convoy, died on the spot, while Chinaoshang, travelling in a separate vehicle, succumbed to bullet injuries at Ukhrul District Hospital. Both victims suffered gunshot wounds to their heads.

A convoy of vehicles travelling from Imphal to Ukhrul had been provided security escorts from Mahadev until Litan. Shortly after the escorts turned back toward Litan, assailants opened fire from a western hilltop near Patleijang Kuki hamlet, killing the two civilians and damaging at least six vehicles. The convoy was carrying women, children, and ailing passengers at the time of the attack. The hamlet area has reportedly been occupied by armed Kuki militants targeting commuters from Ukhrul and Kamjong districts since the outbreak of the conflict in February. Militants are said to have used snipers and sophisticated long-range rifles in the attack, with the UNC noting that the incident occurred approximately 1.5 kilometres from an Indian Army outpost.

The Central Working Committee of TNFO condemned the attack in the strongest possible terms, calling it a cold-blooded and planned ambush, and not a random or accidental act. The organisation placed the responsibility for the deaths squarely on the district administration and security forces, stating that leaving the most vulnerable stretch of the highway unescorted was an act of sheer negligence that directly cost two innocent lives.

Tangkhul Naga Foothills’ Organisation (TNFO) has expressed serious concern over alleged firing by Kuki militants under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement in Kamjong district. pic.twitter.com/OOWjTObMNE

— INTEL-24 (@Tracking_Live) March 24, 2026

TNFO demanded the immediate suspension of the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police of Ukhrul, a time-bound and transparent inquiry with fixed accountability, and a complete overhaul of the current escort and security mechanism on the highway. Turning its attention to the Chief Minister's visit to Ukhrul the previous day, TNFO was scathing in its assessment, stating that if a Chief Minister's visit under the banner of a peace mission could not guarantee even the most basic safety for civilians the very next day, such visits were nothing more than hollow optics.

"This is not just a failure. This is a complete collapse of responsibility," the organisation stated, adding that condolences alone are no longer enough and that the system must answer to the people if it cannot protect them.

The Working Committee of TNL expressed fury over the attack, describing it as part of a continuing and escalating pattern of Kuki militant aggression against Tangkhul Naga civilians that has persisted since the conflict began in early February, with earlier attacks reported in Litan, Laho, Sinakeithei, Sikibung, and Thawai. TNL president Sword Vashum, addressing the media at Ukhrul District Hospital where the bodies were brought in the evening, described the two deceased as heroes who had fallen victim to cold-blooded murder, and announced that the General Assembly of the TNL would be convened within three to four days to adopt a decisive resolution in response.

TNL was particularly pointed in its criticism of the security forces, questioning whether their repeated failure to conduct area domination exercises or comb out illegal militants reflected incompetence or outright complicity. The organisation demanded that the state government immediately undertake a combing operation at Yaolen and adjoining Kuki villages, and noted that the attack occurred just a day after the Chief Minister had officially assured the provision of Road Opening Patrols and security escorts along the highway, calling his assurances into serious question.

COCOMI condemned the attack strongly and directed much of its ire at what it described as the Manipur government's failure and complicity. The organisation stated that despite the presence of thousands of security forces across the state, their continued failure to take visible action against armed elements in the hills proved that the administration is not taking appropriate measures. COCOMI accused the Manipur government of behaving like an agent of New Delhi and facilitating what it termed a proxy war against the indigenous people of Manipur.

The organisation warned that if the Chief Minister's misleading claims of returning peace do not stop, the people of Manipur will hold him personally accountable for every death that occurs, and called upon the indigenous people of Manipur to unite for their survival.

The United Naga Council (UNC) described the attack, which it attributed to Kuki militants, as a calculated act of violence against innocent travellers and termed it an affront to human dignity. The council alleged that the ambush shattered the principles of peace and coexistence and posed a serious threat to the safety of all commuters along the route. Noting that the incident occurred approximately 1.5 kilometres from an Indian Army outpost, the UNC questioned the response of security forces and demanded that the case be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for swift identification, arrest, and prosecution of those involved. It also sought strengthened security measures along NH-202 and called on Naga communities to maintain unity and solidarity.

The Foothills Naga Co-ordination Committee (FNCC) also condemned the ambush, extended condolences to the bereaved families, and appealed to the Chief Minister and Home Minister to deploy state security forces along the affected highway in place of central forces. It urged authorities to take swift action to apprehend those responsible.

In some of the most strongly worded statements issued in response to the ambush, two civil society bodies demanded the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen, who holds the Tribal Affairs and Hills Department portfolio and belongs to the Kuki community. The organisations argued that under her watch, Kuki militants operating under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement have systematically violated its terms with impunity, carrying out acts ranging from highway extortion to the present sniper attack on unarmed civilians.

TWO Tangkhul Naga civilian Gunned Down by Kuki Militants on NH-202: Deputy Chief Minister, Manipur Must Resign

April 18, 2026 | 2:35 PM | Near TM Kasom village, Litan Police Station

Mr. SW. Chinaoshang (S/o SW Ruichumhao, Tushar/Tashar Village) and Mr. Yaruingam Vashum (S/o… pic.twitter.com/Lk3DXb8iqG

— Khanuithot Khon (@khanuithotkhon) April 18, 2026

One of the organisations, Khanuithot-Khon (Voice of the Naga Youth), noted that the revised SoO ground rules, which required mandatory physical verification of weapons and relocation of militant camps, have not been implemented. It demanded that ballistic evidence from the sniper used in the attack be matched against weapons registered under SoO cadres to identify and apprehend those responsible, and warned that any failure to do so would be treated as deliberate complicity by the state. The body also invoked provisions under the Indian Penal Code on the right to private defence, warning of escalation if inaction continues.

Thadou Inpi Manipur condemned the attack and called for the identification and punishment of those responsible, while also lodging a police complaint against what it termed the false association of the Thadou community with the attack in a statement by Naga People's Union, Imphal. The organisation asserted that the Thadou community is distinct, with its own identity, and is not part of Kuki. It described Thadou people as peace-loving and law-abiding, reiterated its commitment to democratic processes, and stressed that continued violence has affected multiple communities.

The Manipur government condemned the attack in the strongest terms, describing it as a direct assault on peace and communal harmony in the state. Chief Minister Khemchand Singh stated that a case has been registered at Litan Police Station and that the investigation will be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for further inquiry. He said that the government will provide ex-gratia to the next of kin of the victims. He added that security forces have launched operations to apprehend those responsible and assured that the perpetrators will be swiftly identified and brought to justice.

Chief Minister Singh and Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam are personally monitoring the situation, and a high-level meeting was held to review security arrangements. The Home Minister appealed to the public to cooperate with security personnel in nabbing the attackers, while the Chief Minister appealed to all communities to maintain calm and not fall prey to provocations intended to vitiate the atmosphere.

The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) and the Kuki CSO Working Committee, Ukhrul, have categorically denied any involvement of Kuki-Zo individuals or groups in the killing of two civilians at TM Kasom village in Ukhrul district on Saturday, attributing the violence instead to internal tensions among certain factional groups.

KZC expressed deep concern over what it termed unverified and misleading media reports, calling the hasty attribution of blame to the Kuki-Zo community a recurring pattern whenever violent incidents occur in Manipur. The Council urged media houses, social media users, civil society organisations, and authorities to verify facts before publishing or circulating allegations, and maintained that the Kuki-Zo people have no role whatsoever in the incident.

The Kuki CSO Working Committee, Ukhrul, similarly condemned the violence while accusing certain quarters of launching a baseless and malicious blame game against the Kuki community. Citing available visual evidence, the Committee claimed the attack bore the hallmarks of a planned ambush stemming from internal conflict involving certain groups, and described attempts to implicate the Kuki community as illogical, unfounded, and deliberately misleading. The Committee also flagged reports of unprovoked firing at Mongkot Chepu around 4:40 PM, terming it a deliberate escalation aimed at aggravating tensions.

The Committee warned that it would initiate legal action against media houses and individuals responsible for disseminating defamatory reports targeting the Kuki community. Both organisations extended condolences to the bereaved families.