The killings have renewed concerns over security in Manipur’s sensitive hill-valley interface. While Meitei civil society groups have accused suspected Kuki militants, the identity of the attackers remains unverified.
BY PC Bureau
October 19, 2026: Residents on Monday brought the bodies of three Meitei farmers killed in an attack in Manipur’s Uyumpok–Nongshum foothill area and placed them outside the gate of the Chief Minister’s residence in Imphal, expressing anger over continuing violence and concerns about civilian safety.
The attack reportedly occurred around 9.40 am at Nongshum, Khongbal Thangkhul, in the Uyumpok–Nongshum area near the Khamenlok foothills, along the peripheral belt between Imphal East and Kangpokpi districts.
According to preliminary accounts, a group of Meitei farmers who had gone into the hills to collect firewood or work on farms came under attack by suspected armed assailants. At least two people were reported killed and three others injured. Initial accounts had cited differing casualty figures, and the toll had not been independently verified when the reports first emerged.
The injured have been identified as Meisnam Somendro, 55, son of late M. Borsing; Bonson Khingdram, 45; and Ngangom Suraj, 22, son of Ng. Dara. All three are receiving treatment at Raj Medicity hospital in Imphal.
Security personnel reached the area after the incident, while the injured were taken to a hospital in Imphal for treatment.
Unbelievable situation in #Manipur… Kuki militants kill three Meitei villagers in Sanarok. Angry villagers dump two bodies outside CM @YKhemchandSingh’s bungalow in protest. Stone pelting also reported. Security tightened outside CM’s bungalow. https://t.co/THUpaCEYRD
— J.B Hazarika (@GenY_Hazarika) October 19, 2026
Later in the morning, residents brought the bodies to the Chief Minister’s residence and left them near the entrance as a mark of protest. A police team from Imphal West subsequently took custody of the bodies and shifted them to the mortuary at the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS).
The protest reflected mounting public frustration over repeated killings and the continuing difficulties faced by residents in sensitive areas of the state. Those who brought the bodies were demanding accountability and stronger measures to protect civilians.
READ: Two Meitei Farmers Killed in Attack in Imphal East
Sensitive foothill belt
Uyumpok and Nongshum lie near the Khamenlok foothills, an area that witnessed deadly clashes during the ethnic violence that erupted in Manipur in May 2023 and intensified in June that year. The wider region experienced killings, the burning of villages and prolonged insecurity affecting settlements on both sides of the foothill belt.
The area remains sensitive because of concerns over civilian movement, access to agricultural land and the deployment of security personnel.
Meitei civil society organisations have accused suspected Kuki militants of carrying out the latest attack. However, the identity of the assailants has not been independently established, and no verified evidence available for this report confirms the involvement of a particular armed group.
The incident has also raised questions about security in the foothill area, which lies relatively close to Imphal. Its proximity to the state capital, however, does not by itself establish who carried out the attack or how the assailants may have entered or left the area.
In June 2026, residents of Uyumpok, Nongshum and neighbouring villages protested the relocation of a designated camp of the Pambei-led United National Liberation Front (UNLF-P) from Nongshum, citing security concerns. The cadres were subsequently shifted, and personnel of the 10th India Reserve Battalion were deployed at the vacated site, according to contemporary reports.
Wider tensions along Manipur’s hill-valley interface
The incident comes amid continuing insecurity in Manipur’s hill-valley interface areas, where tensions between communities have affected civilian safety and movement since 2023.
Separately, tensions have risen in Kangpokpi district over the proposed Koutruk–Konsakhul road. The Joint Tribe Students’ Association (JTSA), representing the Inpui, Liangmai, Rongmei and Zeme Naga tribes, has urged the state government to expedite construction, arguing that the road is essential for Konsakhul residents’ access to healthcare, education and trade.
The association says the traditional route through Lailon Vaiphei and Leimakhong became unsafe following an abduction incident in May that it says resulted in six Naga casualties.
The Kuki Inpi South West Sadar Hills (KI-SWSH), meanwhile, has opposed the road project, alleging that it encroaches on land under its customary jurisdiction. The organisation has demanded that construction stop and warned of protests if work continues.
The competing land and connectivity claims have not been independently adjudicated.
