Continuous unrest and gunfights are taking place in Manipur, with no apparent end in sight to the ethnic conflict. Amidst this, police reported that three members of the Kuki community were killed on Saturday in a shootout between rival armed groups in the Noney district of Manipur. The gunfight took place in the hilly and forested village of Kekru Naga, lasting for several hours and resulting in three fatalities. According to police sources, sporadic gunfire had been ongoing between unidentified groups from the Naga and Kuki communities in the area since October 29. Police further stated that Saturday’s incident was the first to result in loss of life over the past three days. Necessary security measures have been implemented in the area.
The ‘Kuki Inpi Manipur’ (KIM), the apex body of the Kuki community, strongly condemned the killing of these three young men. In a statement, KIM alleged that “Naga militant groups” were involved in these killings. They demanded “justice, accountability, and immediate effective action from the government.” Police confirmed that the identities of the three deceased individuals have been ascertained: Thanglensang Singgon, Thangkhosei Haokip, and Lamminsang Kipgen, all hailing from the Churachandpur district.
Police also reported that four automatic assault rifles, a single-barrel rifle, a drone, ammunition, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were recovered from the scene. Meanwhile, a massive rally was jointly organized by the Meitei and Naga communities in Imphal on Saturday, marking one of the largest public gatherings in Manipur since the ethnic violence erupted in 2023. The rally was jointly organized by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), United Naga Council, Joint Tribes Council, Foothills Naga Coordinating Committee, Naga People’s Union Imphal, Naga Humanitarian Aid Committee Manipur, Manipur Naga Youth Organization, All Naga Students’ Association Manipur, and residents of the hills and valleys.
This rally took place just days after 14 Meitei men were killed in a sudden militant attack. The ongoing conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities has claimed at least 306 lives so far, while clashes between the Kuki and Naga groups since February have resulted in approximately 50 deaths.
