Pointing to the possible role of multiple armed groups and vested interests, Kuki Inpi has sought a time-bound probe into the ambush that killed two civilians.
BY PC Bureau
April 19, 2026 — The Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) on Sunday called for a thorough, impartial and time-bound probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the deadly ambush near T.M. Kasom in Ukhrul district that killed three civilians, while raising questions over what it described as “suspicious circumstances” surrounding the attack.
In a press statement, KIM condemned the ambush as a heinous act against civilians and expressed grief over the killing of two innocent people, while conveying condolences to the bereaved families. “The tragic incident… is deeply disturbing, unwarranted, and deserves condemnation by all and sundry,” the organisation said.
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KIM, however, rejected attempts to attribute blame to the Kuki community, expressing regret over statements by the United Naga Council and Tangkhul Naga Long that allegedly linked the attack to suspected Kuki militants. It said assigning culpability to an entire community without evidence was unjust and warned against attempts to incite conflict between the Kuki and Tangkhul communities. “Attributing criminal acts to an entire community without evidence is not only unjust but also socially and morally indefensible,” the statement said.
The organisation maintained that despite repeated provocations and attacks in areas such as Sinakeithel and Litan, the Kuki community had exercised restraint and deliberately avoided retaliatory action to prevent a wider ethnic confrontation.
KIM also pointed to what it described as credible reports of multiple armed groups operating in and around the affected areas, including factions associated with valley-based insurgent groups and other armed elements, suggesting these factors, along with possible vested political interests seeking to destabilise the law-and-order situation, could not be overlooked in any investigation.
Calling for a neutral probe, KIM said the circumstances surrounding the ambush required a full and impartial investigation to establish the facts and identify those responsible. It said any individual found guilty, irrespective of community affiliation — Kuki, Tangkhul or Meitei — must be brought to justice in accordance with the law.
KIM further said it would neither shield nor support anyone involved in violence against civilians and reaffirmed its commitment to peace, justice and accountability.
The statement comes amid heightened tensions in the Naga-dominated hill districts following the ambush near T.M. Kasom, which has added to growing concerns over deteriorating security and deepening ethnic strains in the region.
