Two people, including an eight-year-old child, were injured and several houses were set ablaze after armed attackers struck Kuki villages in Manipur's Kangpokpi district on Sunday evening.
Imphal, July 5: Fresh violence erupted in Manipur on Sunday evening when unidentified armed attackers targeted Kuki villages in Kangpokpi district, injuring two people, including an eight-year-old child, and setting several houses on fire. The incident came barely a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level security review meeting on the situation in the state.
According to reports from the area, the attack began at around 5 pm at Thingkhongjang village under the Kangchup Geljang Sub-Division in Sadar Hills, Kangpokpi district. Local residents alleged that armed assailants opened fire and later torched several houses in the village.
The violence reportedly spread to nearby Sehjang village, located about one kilometre away, where heavy firing was also reported.
Two civilians sustained injuries during the incident. They were identified as Nengneichong Kipgen (56), wife of Hejang Kipgen, and Lamneingah Kipgen (8), daughter of Lamkholen Kipgen. Both reportedly suffered gunshot injuries to their left thighs.
According to local sources, the injured were first evacuated by personnel of the Assam Rifles to the New Keithelmanbi Assam Rifles camp for initial treatment before being shifted later in the night to a hospital in Imphal for advanced medical care. The hospital where they were admitted had not been officially confirmed at the time of filing this report.
Residents claimed that around three houses in Thingkhongjang village were set on fire during the assault.
According to local accounts, most villagers had gathered at the village church for Sunday worship when the attack began, triggering panic among civilians.
There was no immediate official confirmation regarding the extent of property damage.
While there has been no official statement identifying those responsible for the attack, local residents and Kuki civil society organisations alleged that cadres belonging to the NSCN-IM and ZUF-Kamson (ZUF-K) were involved.
These allegations have not been independently verified, and security agencies have not attributed responsibility for the attack.
Residents also alleged that explosives and automatic weapons were used during the assault.
The incident has sparked criticism from Kuki-Zo organisations over what they described as the failure of security forces to prevent the attack despite the presence of security personnel in the vicinity.
Local residents alleged that personnel of the 86 Battalion of the CRPF, stationed near the village, did not intervene in time to stop the violence.
Some villagers further claimed that neighbouring Kuki-Zo residents attempting to reach Thingkhongjang after the attack were prevented by CRPF personnel from entering the area, leading to a brief confrontation. There was no official response to these allegations.
The Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), the apex body of Kuki tribes in the state, strongly condemned the attack, describing it as an act of terror against civilians.
In a statement, KIM alleged that armed cadres of NSCN-IM and its alleged proxy faction ZUF-Kamson attacked the village, setting civilian houses ablaze and opening indiscriminate fire that injured a woman and a child.
The organisation questioned how heavily armed attackers were able to enter the village, carry out the assault and leave despite the deployment of security forces nearby.
Calling the incident a "monumental security failure", KIM demanded an independent judicial inquiry into the attack, immediate accountability of officials responsible for security in the area, and enhanced protection for vulnerable Kuki villages.
The organisation also referred to earlier assurances by the district administration that the safety of villages would be ensured and said those assurances had been undermined by Sunday's incident.
KIM further urged both the Central and Manipur governments to strengthen security measures and restore public confidence, warning that repeated attacks and delayed responses could further erode trust in state institutions.
The latest violence occurred less than 24 hours after Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a security review meeting on Manipur.
According to official sources, the meeting was attended by Manipur Security Adviser Kuldeep Singh, Director General of Police Mukesh Singh and senior representatives of various security agencies.
Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh and Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam were not part of the meeting.
The incident also came a day after Chief Minister Khemchand visited Churachandpur district.
Security agencies had not issued any official statement regarding the incident or confirmed the identity of the attackers at the time of publication.
Authorities also had not released an official assessment of the damage caused or announced any arrests.
The attack marks another episode of violence in Manipur at a time when security agencies continue efforts to stabilise the situation following more than three years of ethnic tensions in the state.
