At least seven people were reported killed across Kamjong, Kangpokpi and Ukhrul districts within 24 hours as fresh violence intensified the Naga-Kuki conflict in Manipur’s hill areas. Gunfire, ambushes and arson were reported from several locations.
BY PC Bureau
NEW DELHI, October 10: At least seven people were reported killed in a series of violent incidents across Manipur’s Kamjong, Kangpokpi and Ukhrul districts between Friday night and Saturday, as fresh clashes, ambushes, arson and allegations of attacks by armed groups intensified tensions between Naga and Kuki communities in the state’s hill districts.
The reported casualties include a Kuki woman shot dead at Chassad in Kamjong, a Tangkhul Naga villager allegedly killed in an ambush, and a member of the Nepali/Gurkha community reportedly killed in an armed attack in Ukhrul. Additional deaths were reported from Liangmai Naga villages in Kangpokpi.
However, the precise toll remains difficult to establish. Accounts from security officials, local residents and community organisations differ, while the identities of some victims and the circumstances of several deaths have yet to be independently verified. Competing groups have also blamed rival armed formations for the violence.
The incidents mark another serious escalation in the continuing Naga-Kuki tensions in Manipur’s hill areas.
Young Kuki Man killed
Michael Ngamminlen Haokip, 22, son of Paothang Haokip of Chassad, was killed during an attack allegedly carried out by NSCN (IM) cadres. According to the civil society organisation’s statement, firing and the burning of houses began around 4.30 am on October 10.
The first reported fatality occurred at Chassad village in Kamjong district on Friday night.
Kuki woman shot dead at Chassad
Domkhonei Touthang, a Kuki woman and mother of five, was shot at around 9.30-9.40 pm. She suffered gunshot injuries around the neck and chest and died shortly afterwards, according to local accounts.
Kuki groups alleged that Touthang was hit by fire from personnel of the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) during a protest by women over the alleged arrest of village volunteers.
Another account linked the shooting to a security operation involving police, IRB and BSF personnel who were reportedly attempting to demolish allegedly illegal bunkers near the police station.
The killing was followed by an exchange of fire between armed Kuki and Naga groups, with fighting reportedly continuing into Saturday morning. Several houses were also reported to have been set on fire.
Authorities subsequently imposed prohibitory restrictions within a 400-metre radius of the Chassad Police Gate Junction.
📍Chassad, Manipur | 10 Oct 2026
Tangkhul NSCN(IM) terrorists attacked Chassad village this morning, killing two civilians & setting houses ablaze—homes rebuilt after their first arson in 2021, in the presence of IRB and @official_dgar. Abrogate the ceasefire @HMOIndia @PMOIndia https://t.co/ZxOHc7dimR— Samuel Khongsai (@samkhongsai_) October 10, 2026
Tangkhul villager killed in Kamjong
Violence spread to Ningchou, also reported as Ningchau, and surrounding areas in Kamjong on Saturday.
Achanko Ningshen, a Tangkhul Naga villager, was reportedly killed in an ambush allegedly carried out by suspected Kuki militants. He is survived by his wife and two young children, according to local sources.
At least three Tangkhul people were also reported injured in the violence, while several houses and shops were allegedly burnt.
Local reports further referred to an attack on Ningchou village by suspected Myanmar-based militants.
Kamjong Police denied reports that the police station itself had been burnt.
Liangmai villages attacked in Kangpokpi
Further violence was reported along the IT Road in Kangpokpi district, where suspected Kuki armed groups allegedly attacked Liangmai Naga villages, including Makui Asang and Tapon.
Preliminary accounts said at least two people were killed in separate incidents, one at Tapon and another at Makui Asang, with several others reportedly injured.
A Liangmai Naga man identified by local sources as Ajinpou Ringkangmai was allegedly beheaded during the attack on Makui village. Heavy firing was also reported in the area.
Two Naga men from Makui Ashang village were reported missing following the violence.
The attacks came amid a series of earlier incidents involving Liangmai villages in the area, including allegations of arson and armed attacks.
The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) subsequently announced a 24-hour shutdown in Kangpokpi in response to the latest violence.
The allegations, including the reported beheading and attribution of the attacks to specific armed groups, have not been independently verified.
READ: Journalists Detained, Phones Seized as Delhi Police Tramples Press Freedom
The killing continues in Manipur despite having 10s of thousands of central security forces.
Unprecedented barbarity by proxy army .
The savages celebrates after beheading a Liangmai villager in Kangpokpi district.
Modi is slowyand steadily winning the battle against indigenous people in Manipur.
Bravo Modi & Shah. https://t.co/wio0PIyazS— JJohnnymeitei (@JohnnyMeetei) October 10, 2026
Nepali farmer killed in Ukhrul
In a separate incident in Ukhrul district, Sandeep Rai, a member of the Nepali/Gurkha community who had reportedly leased farmland in the Chepu Yaolen area, was allegedly killed in an armed attack early Saturday.
Rai was reportedly driving a red Maruti Alto towards his farm at around 6 am when he came under attack along the Mahadev-Toloi road near Yolen/TM Kasom Litan.
His body had not been recovered when the first reports emerged.
The killing has added another dimension to the violence, with members of communities not directly involved in the Naga-Kuki confrontation also increasingly vulnerable in areas affected by armed clashes.
Biren Singh Confirms Seven Death
SEVEN DEAD, A POLICE STATION BURNT. WHAT IS HAPPENING TO MANIPUR?
Seven lives have been lost in a single day following violent incidents across different parts of Manipur. Suspected Myanmar-based militants have reportedly attacked Ningchou village in Kamjong district, while deadly violence has also been reported along Makui IT Road and at Chassad. Even a police station in Kamjong has reportedly been burnt down. Further, two Nagas from Makui Ashang village in Kangpokpi district have also been reported missing.
Particularly disturbing is the killing of Sandeep Rai, a member of the Nepali community, in an alleged KRA ambush at Yolen near TM Kasom Litan in Ukhrul district. This shows how the violence is spreading and claiming innocent lives across communities.
What is going on? How weak have we become that armed militants can kill people, burn down police stations and challenge the authority of the Indian state with such impunity?
This is a serious threat to our country’s internal security and sovereignty. All illegally held weapons must be recovered, launch decisive operations against armed militant groups and strengthen our Indo-Myanmar border. Both state and central security forces must act without further delay.
— N. Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) October 10, 2026
Former Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh described the latest violence as evidence of a serious deterioration in the state’s security situation.
In a statement, Singh said seven people had been killed in a single day in different parts of Manipur. He referred to the reported attack on Ningchou village, the violence along the Makui IT Road and the shooting at Chassad.
He also highlighted the reported killing of Sandeep Rai, describing it as an alleged KRA ambush near TM Kasom Litan in Ukhrul.
Singh said the violence demonstrated how armed groups could target civilians across communities and called for the recovery of illegally held weapons, decisive operations against militant groups and stronger security along the India-Myanmar border.
He also questioned how armed militants could allegedly kill civilians, attack public infrastructure and challenge the authority of the state.
Singh’s comments represent his political assessment of the situation, while the allegations concerning individual militant groups and the exact circumstances of the reported attacks remain subject to investigation.
Security situation remains volatile
The latest incidents come against the backdrop of recurring violence between Naga and Kuki groups in Manipur’s hill districts, involving competing territorial claims, armed formations and long-standing ethnic tensions.
Security agencies have previously faced allegations from rival communities of failing to prevent attacks or of favouring one side during operations. Armed groups operating in and around Manipur, including formations based across the Myanmar border, have also been repeatedly accused of involvement in attacks.
The latest violence highlights the continuing vulnerability of civilians in remote hill areas, where communications are limited and independent verification of incidents can take considerable time.
With reports of killings, missing persons, arson and armed ambushes emerging from three districts within roughly 24 hours, authorities face the immediate challenge of preventing further retaliation while establishing the facts behind each incident.
The final casualty count, recovery and identification of bodies, and responsibility for the individual attacks will depend on police investigations and independent verification.
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