IMPHAL — Joint village bodies representing the Liangmai Naga, broader Naga, and Meetei communities in the Kanglatongbi area issued a strongly worded ultimatum on Saturday, demanding an immediate halt to what they described as armed Kuki militant activity in close proximity to civilian settlements, citing a series of incidents that have left residents living in fear.

The notice, jointly issued by the Mantriband Development Committee and the Namdilong Village Authority, came two days after a late-night firing incident on April 9 that struck two residential houses with stray bullets. The bodies warned that any further armed activity in or around civilian habitations would be met with unspecified consequences, and that responsibility for any loss of innocent life would rest entirely with those disregarding the warning.

Firing Incident Triggers Ultimatum

The immediate trigger for Saturday's notice was a shooting that took place at approximately 11:30 pm on April 9, targeting personnel of the 1st Manipur Rifles deployed near Mandir Hindi Higher Secondary School in the Kanglatongbi area. Two houses belonging to local villagers were struck by stray bullets during the exchange, according to the release.

The village bodies said the camp alleged to be the source of the armed activity is located approximately 50 metres from Naga-inhabited households — a distance they described as "irresponsible and intolerable" for any form of armed engagement.

"The shots fired on 9th April 2026 must be the last of their kind," the notice stated. "Despite repeated appeals to keep conflict away from civilian zones, acts of violence have continued dangerously close to residential areas, creating fear and panic among women, children, and the elderly."

A Pattern of Incidents

The release also cited a chronology of previous incidents attributed to Kuki-linked elements in the area, dating back to the early days of the Manipur ethnic conflict in 2023.

On May 3, 2023, a public mob attack was reported affecting residents of the Kanglatongbi area. Later that month, on May 27, 2023, multiple rounds of gunfire were allegedly fired by several militants inside the heart of Kanglatongbi Bazar Board for nearly an hour, causing widespread civilian panic.

More recently, on March 13, 2026, several rounds of gunfire were reported along Makhan Road and the National Highway, fired while individuals were travelling by motorcycle towards Motbung. The April 9 incident is the latest in this series.

Call for Government Intervention

Beyond the warning to armed elements, the village bodies directed an urgent appeal to both the state and central governments, calling for genuine monitoring of the situation on the ground.

Notably, the release pressed authorities to "define who is indigenous and who is a refugee" — language that reflects the deeply contested questions of ethnic identity and territorial belonging that have driven the broader Manipur crisis since May 2023.

The bodies called for "clarity, accountability, and timely action" from the government to restore civilian confidence and prevent further escalation in the area.

Restraint, But With Limits

Despite the firm tone of the warning, the signatories were careful to frame their position as one rooted in peace rather than aggression.

"We do not engage in disorder, nor do we endanger lives for any agenda. We value peace, dignity, and the sanctity of human life," the notice read. "However, repeated endangerment of our people is unacceptable."

The release closed with a pointed message: "Do not provoke a response and later seek refuge in claims of victimhood. Every action has consequences, and accountability cannot be avoided indefinitely."

The notice was signed by Jinwangbou Abonmai, Chairman of the Namdilong Village Authority, and Ng. Jeevan Meetei, General Secretary of the Mantriband Development Committee.