BY PC Bureau
The violent clash at Konsakhul village in Kangpokpi District on April 5 has once again stirred simmering ethnic tensions in Manipur. The incident, which occurred amid ongoing curfews and heightened security alerts, has left the region on edge.
The Konsakhul Village Authority has alleged that armed Kuki militants, with the alleged support of a local police officer, launched a premeditated attack on the village. According to their statement, the assault was unprovoked and part of a broader strategy to destabilize the area.
the Chief of Konsaram Lungwiram — a Liangmai village under the Kangchup-Geljang sub-division — was reportedly abducted by the same group of militants. He was later found and admitted to a hospital in Imphal with grave injuries sustained during the alleged assaut. Several leader of COCOMi paid visit to him at the hospital today.
In contrast, representatives from Kuki groups have claimed that the Konsakhul villagers violated a curfew order issued on April 2 and attempted to encroach upon land they assert is rightfully theirs. They have denied initiating violence and argue the clash was a response to Konsakhul’s alleged aggression and defiance of government directives.
A Coordinated Assault Amid Ongoing Tensions
The Konsakhul Village Authority, in a letter dated April 5, 2025, addressed to the Superintendent of Police, Kangpokpi District, expressed its “deepest anguish and unequivocal condemnation of the inhumane and premeditated attack orchestrated by armed Kuki militants masquerading as civilians and so-called volunteers.”
From Meiteis to Nagas: The expanding trail of Kukis aggression
On April 4th, 2025, the DC of Kangpokpi imposed curfew in Konsakhul aka Konsaram, Haraothel, and L. Phaijang (adjacent to Lungwiram village) without any stated reason.
The DC was obviously directed by the Kuki… pic.twitter.com/CZnyDlRbPJ
— Diana// ꯗꯤꯑꯅꯥ (@diana_warep) April 5, 2025
ALSO READ: Curfew Imposed in Manipur Villages as Land Dispute Turns Violent
The assault took place at approximately 12:15 PM, targeting villagers who were peacefully engaged in agricultural and construction work. The authority described the incident as “a dark and shameful chapter in the ongoing pattern of aggression and violence inflicted upon peaceful villagers.”
According to the letter, thousands of Kuki militants, under the guise of the general public, descended upon Konsakhul village and launched a sudden, violent assault. Most alarmingly, the armed mob was escorted and supported by ASI Kamgin Veiphei of Leimakhong Police Station, whose presence “not only enabled but emboldened the attackers.”
The violence resulted in severe injuries to several community leaders, including Mr. Adam Dirinamai, Chairman of Konsakhul Village, Mr. Aimson Abonmai, Chief of Konsakhul Village, Mr. Ch Paramchamdin, Mr. Ab Widinbou, and Mr. Th. Aloipu.
Following the assault, the militants forcibly abducted the injured victims to an undisclosed location using their own vehicles, and their whereabouts remain unknown.
The Konsakhul Village Authority has accused ASI Kamgin Veiphei of facilitating the attack, noting that he is the son of a resident of Leilon Veiphei—a neighboring Kuki village with longstanding tensions with Konsakhul. This connection raises serious questions about conflict of interest and bias, with the authority labeling his actions a “gross dereliction of duty and a blatant betrayal of public trust.”
A Troubling Sequence of Events
The letter details a sequence of events leading up to the violence, pointing to a “deeply troubling misuse of administrative power and a coordinated attempt to subjugate and terrorize the people of Konsakhul.”
On April 4, 2025, while villagers were lawfully engaged in land leveling and the construction of residential dwellings, police personnel led by ASI Kamgin Veiphei arrived and presented a photocopied document allegedly issued by Kangpokpi District Magistrate Mahesh Chaudhary.
The document claimed a curfew had been imposed in Konsakhul with retrospective effect from April 2, 2025. Village council members explained that halting the work immediately would result in significant financial losses, as private JCB operators had been hired on a daily-wage basis. Despite attempts at dialogue, ASI Veiphei demanded that village representatives report to the Leimakhong Police Station for further discussion, a demand the council could not meet due to the critical nature of the ongoing work.
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The next day, on April 5, ASI Veiphei returned with four to five police personnel and hundreds of Kuki militants, who swiftly encircled the village and unleashed a surprise assault. The Konsakhul Village Authority believes the attack was “pre-planned, executed with malicious intent, and carried out with the covert support of elements within the administration.”
Demands for Justice
The Konsakhul Village Authority has outlined several demands in response to the attack, including:
- Immediate registration of an FIR against the legal encroachers.
- Dismantling of unauthorized structures, including bunkers, makeshift shelters, and wooden cross structures on Phailengbam (Haroching).
- Eviction of Kuki militants and dismantling of their illegal camps operating within the ancestral land to prevent further escalation and bloodshed.
- Immediate intervention to administer justice and call upon the government to evict Kuki militants operating in the region to prevent bloodshe
Additionally, the authority has called for:
- Immediate suspension and criminal investigation of ASI Kamgin Veiphei for his role in facilitating the attack and enabling the abduction of village leaders.
- Strict disciplinary action against Kangpokpi District Magistrate Mahesh Chaudhary for imposing an arbitrary curfew, which the authority claims paved the way for the attack.
- Efforts to locate and secure the safe return of the abducted Naga village leaders and to bring the perpetrators to justice.
- A high-level inquiry into the collusion between administrative officials and militant elements, with guarantees that such atrocities will not be repeated.
The letter also appeals to the Government of Manipur, human rights organizations, civil society bodies, and the media to take cognizance of this “grave violation of human rights and justice.” The authority emphasized their resolve, stating, “Konsakhul Village stands united and resolute, and we will not be silenced by terror.”
ALSO READ: KOHUR Slams Manipur Govt’s Non-Compliance on NHRC Rights Report
Historical Context: The Leilon Veiphei Kuki Claims
The violence in Konsakhul is further complicated by longstanding disputes over land ownership in the region. A report by the World Kuki-Zo Intellectual Council (WKZIC), dated January 9, 2025, highlights the historical claims of the Leilon Veiphei Kuki community. According to the report, the Leilon Veiphei Kuki have resided in the British Jampi Area (1907) and Kuki Hills (1741-42) since time immemorial, paying land taxes to the colonial government as early as 1917-1931. The report cites historical records, including the Assam Archives (Mombi/Lonpi) Area (1907), Chassad Area (1907), Jampi Area (1907), and Haokip-Manlun-Songson-Guite Songpi Sub-Division (1919), to support their claim.
However, the WKZIC report notes that the Kuki community has faced challenges to their land rights. A “Quit Notice” served by the Konsakhul Village Authority to the Leilon Veiphei Kuki, along with a forged land lease agreement in Ballpoint Pen dated October 12, 1920, has been a point of contention. The report alleges that Hungarian national Laszlo Biro, who introduced the Ballpoint Pen in India in 1947, could not have been involved in a document from 1920, rendering the lease agreement invalid. The WKZIC has called on the Joint Tribes Students’ Association (JTSA) to lift restrictions and rectify the claims of the Khonsakhul Kuki, urging a resolution on humanitarian grounds.
The report also highlights the role of the JTSA, comprising groups like the Inpui Students’ Union (AISU), Liangmai Katimai Ruangdi (LNKR), Rongmei Students’ Organisation (RNSOM), and Zeme Students’ Organisation (ZSOM), in imposing restrictions along the Imphal-Ccpur Road, which have stranded passengers and vehicles.
The violence in Konsakhul underscores the deep ethnic and administrative tensions in Manipur, particularly around culturally significant sites like Lord Koubru’s sacred peak. The Konsakhul Village Authority’s letter to the Superintendent of Police and the WKZIC report both highlight the complexity of the situation, with competing historical claims and allegations of administrative bias fueling the conflict. As the Konsakhul Village Authority demands justice for the attack and the safe return of their abducted leaders, the broader land disputes in the region continue to drive tensions.
. The situation remains tense, with the Konsakhul Village Authority vowing to continue their fight for justice while the Leilon Veiphei Kuki community asserts their historical claims to the land. As Manipur grapples with these complex issues, the need for dialogue, accountability, and a fair resolution has never been more urgent.
