Three civilians were reportedly killed in separate incidents of violence in Manipur’s Ukhrul, Kamjong and Kangpokpi districts, prompting Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen to condemn the killings and call for thorough and impartial investigations.
In a statement issued from Kangpokpi on October 10, Kipgen expressed condolences to the bereaved families and urged all concerned to exercise restraint and avoid retaliatory violence.
According to her statement, Domkhonei Touthang, a resident of Chassad village in Kamjong district and a mother of five, reportedly died from gunshot injuries on the night of October 9. Michael Ngamminlen Haokip was reportedly killed during violence in Chassad in the early hours of October 10.
In a separate incident, Sandeep Rai, a Gorkhali farmer from Senapati district, was reportedly ambushed at around 6 am on October 10 while travelling to his farmland at Chepu Yaolen in Ukhrul district.
“I urge the authorities to conduct thorough and impartial investigations and bring those responsible to justice,” Kipgen said, emphasising that protecting civilian lives must remain the highest priority.
She also called for concerted efforts to restore peace and normalcy in the affected areas.
Kuki Inpi Alleges Involvement of Armed Groups and Security Personnel
Meanwhile, the Kuki Inpi Manipur, the apex body representing the Kuki tribes, strongly condemned what it described as coordinated attacks on Kuki-Zo civilians in Chassad in Kamjong district, Yaolen in Ukhrul district and the IT Road area of Kangpokpi district.
In a press statement issued on October 10, the organisation alleged that armed groups carried out the attacks in collusion with state security personnel, including Tangkhul police personnel and the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB).
The organisation further claimed that Michael Ngamminlen Haokip was killed in an attack involving armed militants and security personnel, while Sandeep Rai was ambushed and killed by armed assailants. These allegations could not be independently verified based on the statements available.
The Kuki Inpi accused the authorities of bias in addressing security concerns affecting the Kuki-Zo community and urged both state and central governments to ensure accountability and equal enforcement of the law.
It also appealed to national and international human rights organisations to take cognisance of what it described as serious human rights violations.
Claiming that violence and displacement continued to affect the community, the organisation stated that 29 Kuki-Zo civilians had been killed, 29 villages attacked, ransacked or burned, and more than 1,500 people displaced.
The latest incidents have intensified concerns over civilian safety in the affected districts, with renewed calls for impartial investigations, accountability and restraint to prevent further escalation of violence.