A Kuki man was shot dead while collecting bamboo shoots in Kangpokpi, while arsonists set houses ablaze in Patleijang village, Ukhrul, on Tuesday.
Imphal, Oct. 20: A 45-year-old Kuki man, identified as Paolen Khongsai, was shot dead by unidentified assailants while collecting bamboo shoots in a forested area of Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on Tuesday, according to media reports. The killing was reported alongside an arson attack on Patleijang, a Kuki-Zo hamlet in Ukhrul district, where several houses were set ablaze in the early hours of the day.
According to the Kuki Youth Organisation (KYO), Leimakhong Block, two Kuki-Zo civilians from Moulding village were collecting bamboo shoots in a nearby forest when suspected armed men opened fire on them on Tuesday morning.
One of the men, identified as Paolen, was killed in the shooting, while the other escaped and returned to the village, the organisation said. Hindustan Times identified the deceased as Paolen Khongsai, aged 45.
KYO condemned the killing and raised concerns over the security of civilians in the Leimakhong area. The organisation alleged that suspected cadres of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah), or NSCN(IM), were responsible for the attack. The allegation has not been independently verified.
The organisation also questioned the effectiveness of security arrangements in the area and called for adequate deployment of security personnel in vulnerable locations. It sought a thorough investigation into the killing and accountability for those responsible.
Houses set ablaze in Patleijang
In a separate incident, a pre-dawn arson attack struck Patleijang, a hamlet of Chepu Yaolen along National Highway 202 in Ukhrul district.
According to reports, the attack began at around 1 am, when suspected assailants set fire to houses. The attackers allegedly fired around three rounds from automatic weapons before leaving the area. No casualties were reported in the arson incident.
The Working Committee of Kuki Civil Society Organisations (WCKCSOs), Ukhrul, accused suspected NSCN(IM) cadres operating from nearby locations of involvement in the attack. The allegation remains unverified.
The committee also questioned the security arrangements in the area, particularly the timing of the deployment of the Border Security Force (BSF), which it said had been scheduled for October 19 but took place on October 20.
It demanded an explanation for the delay and called for permanent security arrangements to protect Patleijang and Chepu Yaolen from further attacks.
Police said the perpetrators' identities, the circumstances surrounding the arson and the motive had not been established. A case was registered in connection with the burning of houses.
Security concerns amid renewed violence
The two incidents come amid renewed insecurity in Manipur, where violence has been reported in several districts in recent days.
On Monday, three Meitei civilians were killed and others injured in a shooting while collecting firewood near the Imphal East–Kangpokpi border. The killings triggered protests in Imphal on Tuesday, with demonstrators demanding action against those responsible.
The latest incidents have raised further concerns about civilian safety and the security of vulnerable settlements. Investigations into the attacks and the allegations against suspected armed groups remain important to establishing responsibility and preventing further violence.
