Conflicting accounts have emerged after a deadly gunfight near Langka village in Kangpokpi district left one man dead and two injured, prompting demands for an inquiry and an economic blockade.
Photo source: Social Media
Kangpokpi, June 14: A deadly gunfight near Langka village in Manipur's Kangpokpi district has sparked competing narratives from Naga village authorities and Kuki civil society organisations (CSOs), deepening tensions in an area that has witnessed a series of violent incidents in recent weeks.
The clash, which occurred on June 13, left one person dead and two others injured after an exchange of fire involving armed groups in the IT Road area. Security officials confirmed the casualty and injuries but described the incident as a gunfight between armed groups rather than a one-sided attack on civilians.
The deceased has been identified as 39-year-old Jangngam Hangshing of Lhouthang village in Kangpokpi district. However, his role and affiliation have become the subject of sharply differing claims.
In a statement issued after the incident, the Langka (Taniuluang) Village Authority condemned what it described as a "terror-inducing" attack on civilians by Kuki militants.
The village authority alleged that the assault began at around 8:40 a.m. and involved the use of heavy weapons and explosive devices. It claimed that armed cadres linked to the Kuki National Front-Progressive (KNF-P), a group currently under a Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the government, carried out the attack through a proxy faction identified as KNF (Nehlun) based in nearby Bileijang village.
According to the statement, the attackers targeted civilian areas, damaged farm properties and killed livestock, including a buffalo and a dog.
The village authority further alleged that local defenders were compelled to retaliate after coming under attack.
Condemning the incident, the authority demanded a thorough, impartial and time-bound investigation by the state government to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.
It also warned that failure to take appropriate action could lead to further instability in the IT Road region.
Kuki civil society organisations have strongly rejected allegations that the deceased was a militant.
According to Kuki-Zo groups, Jangngam Hangshing was a village volunteer engaged in security, vigilance and area sanitisation activities intended to protect vulnerable Kuki villages in the region.
Leaders of the Kuki-Zo Village Volunteers and other civil society organisations described his death as a loss suffered while defending local communities.
Following the incident, Kuki CSOs announced an indefinite economic blockade and extended an ongoing total shutdown that had originally been called in connection with the burial of another victim, Haogin Lhouvum.
Janghaolun Haokip, speaking on behalf of the organisations, said the blockade would continue until concrete measures were implemented to ensure the safety and security of Kuki-Zo residents living in border and vulnerable areas.
Security officials confirmed that one individual was killed and two others sustained injuries during the exchange of fire.
According to official accounts, village guards reportedly returned fire after initial shooting broke out, resulting in a prolonged gun battle between opposing armed groups.
The deceased's body was later transported to the district headquarters, while the injured were evacuated for medical treatment.
Additional security personnel were reportedly deployed in the area following the incident to prevent further escalation.
The Langka clash comes amid a succession of deadly incidents reported from Kangpokpi district and adjoining areas over the past week.
On June 9, Haogin Lhouvum, a 50-year-old resident of Lasan village, was killed during a heavy exchange of fire between armed groups near Makui and Lasan villages.
A day earlier, on June 8, Chungjanglung Panmei, a 58-year-old Rongmei Naga civilian, was shot dead in a forested area near Tupul village.
Earlier, on June 5, three residents of Loibol Khullen village—Letkhongam Haokip, Tinmary Haokip and Jangminlal Haokip—were killed in what was reported as an early-morning factional attack.
The latest clash has once again exposed the fragile security situation in parts of Kangpokpi district, where competing claims, community grievances and recurring armed confrontations continue to complicate efforts to restore normalcy.
Authorities have not yet issued any detailed findings on the circumstances that led to the June 13 gunfight, and investigations are expected to continue.
