Fresh violence in Manipur’s hills leaves a Kuki electricity lineman dead and at least 24 houses burnt in two Naga villages amid renewed Kuki-Naga tensions.
Imphal, Sept. 24: Fresh violence in Manipur’s hill districts on Wednesday left a 36-year-old Kuki electricity lineman dead and several Naga settlements attacked, with at least 24 houses in two Naga villages in Kangpokpi district reportedly reduced to ashes.
The incidents occurred amid renewed Kuki-Naga tensions across parts of Tamenglong, Kangpokpi and Noney districts, following a series of civilian killings and attacks in the region in recent weeks. Reports from different sources vary on the number of villages affected and the identity of those responsible, while allegations by rival community groups have not been independently established.
The most serious incident reported early Wednesday was the killing of Paojangam Chongloi, 36, of Wakotphai village, who was working as a private electricity lineman in the Lasan area under Tamei police station in Tamenglong district.
According to police and multiple reports, Chongloi was repairing a 33 KV power line at around 4 am when unidentified armed men opened fire. He was killed in the incident. Police said the remote location and difficult terrain prevented the local police team from immediately reaching the site, and assistance was sought from Kangpokpi police for a spot investigation.
A complaint was subsequently submitted at Tamei police station by Thanggunhao Hangshing, secretary of a local body in Wakotphai. The complaint alleged the involvement of cadres of the NSCN-IM in the killing. Another complaint by the Lasan village authority sought registration of a Zero FIR and an investigation, alleging the involvement of NSCN-IM cadres and volunteers from Langka village. The allegations have not been independently verified, and police have not established the identities of the attackers.
The killing was followed within about an hour by an attack on two Naga villages in neighbouring Kangpokpi district.
Two Naga villages burnt
Around 5 am, armed miscreants reportedly attacked Makui Khuman and Makui Thanamba, also referred to as Makui Chamruipiu, under Chalwa police station in Kangpokpi district.
Officials and residents cited by Hindustan Times said the two settlements had about 12 households each and that 24 houses were burnt. The villages had already been largely deserted following earlier Kuki-Naga clashes, with displaced residents staying at Makui Khunjao, around 12 km away.
Residents told local media that they returned to find the houses destroyed. Reports also said there was no security deployment in the two affected villages at the time of the incident.
The Makui Village Authority separately alleged that the attack extended beyond the two villages and involved Makui, Chamriupiu, Langka and Thanamba. It called for immediate intervention by the Centre and the Manipur government, permanent deployment of Central Armed Police Forces in vulnerable areas, assessment of the damage and compensation and rehabilitation for affected families.
The village authority also alleged the involvement of cadres belonging to the KNF(P), KNF(N) and KRA. Those allegations have not been independently verified.
Local reports later indicated that violence was also reported in other Naga settlements along the Noney-Kangpokpi-Senapati belt. These included Tazeikaiphun Part 3 and Mukti Khullen/Mukti Kapningching areas, where firing and attacks on village structures were reported. The exact extent of damage and the identities of the attackers remained unclear in reports available on Wednesday.
Additional attacks reported in Noney
Reports from the Noney side said firing was reported around Tazeikaiphun Part 3, while three to four houses were reportedly burnt in the Kapningching Mukti Part 5 area.
NEWire reported that Assam Rifles and police subsequently reached Tazeikaiphun after the village bunker came under fire. It said the identities and affiliations of the attackers, the complete casualty figures and some of the reported damage were still awaiting independent verification.
The Sangai Express, meanwhile, reported attacks on as many as six Naga villages across Kangpokpi and Noney districts, including an afternoon incident at Makui Thebram. It reported exchanges of fire between village guards and suspected armed groups, but said there were no reported casualties in those later incidents.
Because accounts from community organisations and local sources differ, the full extent of Wednesday's violence remains subject to further verification.
Lineman's killing adds to recent civilian casualties
Chongloi's killing came only two days after the death of a 17-year-old Liangmai Naga boy, NK Wiphenbou, in the Tamei area.
Wiphenbou, from the Takou/Upper Nkou area, was reportedly travelling towards Tamei to purchase essential items when he was attacked on September 21. His body was later recovered by Naga village volunteers. Police described the incident as a suspected ambush, while allegations regarding the identity of the attackers have not been independently established.
The Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights has called for an impartial and time-bound investigation into Wiphenbou's killing and sought an Action Taken Report from the concerned authorities covering the investigation, prosecution, relief and measures to protect children and students in vulnerable areas.
The killing followed several other attacks involving Kuki and Naga civilians in Tamenglong and neighbouring districts. The recent incidents have increasingly involved settlements and civilian areas rather than being confined to isolated encounters between armed groups.
Competing allegations
The circumstances surrounding Wednesday's violence remain contested. Kuki-linked organisations have alleged that Naga armed groups were responsible for attacks on Kuki settlements and civilians, while Naga village authorities have accused Kuki armed groups of attacking Naga villages. In several cases, these allegations have been made in complaints or statements seeking investigations, rather than established through completed police investigations.
The distinction is significant in the latest incidents. In the case of Chongloi's killing, for example, a written complaint named NSCN-IM cadres, but police had not independently confirmed the allegation. Similarly, the Makui Village Authority named Kuki armed groups in its account of the attacks, but reports available on Wednesday did not establish those claims independently.
Police have continued to face difficulties accessing some of the remote locations where the incidents occurred. The Tamei police station officer said his team could not reach the site of Chongloi's killing and that Kangpokpi police had been requested to assist with the investigation.
Security concerns grow across hill districts
The latest incidents have raised fresh concerns over the security of villages located along the Imphal-Tamei Road and the Noney-Kangpokpi-Senapati belt.
Residents of affected Naga settlements have questioned the availability and effectiveness of security forces in areas that had already witnessed displacement and earlier attacks. The Makui Village Authority has sought permanent deployment of Central forces, while also demanding rehabilitation of families whose homes were destroyed.
The violence has also placed civilian workers at risk. Chongloi was reportedly carrying out routine electricity repair work when he was killed, illustrating the difficulties faced by essential-service personnel operating in areas affected by armed clashes and insecurity.
With attacks reported across several locations on the same day, authorities now face the task of securing vulnerable settlements, establishing the sequence of events and identifying those responsible for the individual incidents.
The immediate priority for displaced families remains the safety of their temporary settlements and access to their villages, while investigations will have to determine responsibility for the killings, arson and firing reported across the affected districts.
