Manipur unrest: Three killed in fresh Naga-Kuki clashes, groups accuse each other of violence
Manipur unrest: Three people were killed in two separate gunfights between village volunteers from the Tangkhul Naga and Kuki-Zo communities in Ukhrul district.
The district has been tense since April 18, when two Naga civilians were killed in an ambush on National Highway 202.
According to reports from Imphal, a Tangkhul Naga village guard, H. Jamang from Kamjong district, was killed in an ambush by suspected militants near Sinakeithei village early Friday morning.
Later, the bodies of two Kuki-Zo volunteers, L. Sitlhou and P. Haolai, were found near Mullam village after a gunfight around 5:30 am. The violence reportedly happened between 5 am and 9 am, showing how tense the situation is. There were also reports of arson in Mullam, and security forces were sent to control the situation.
The Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) blamed suspected Kuki-Zo militants for the killing of Jamang, saying he died while protecting his community. It called the attack a serious and worrying escalation of violence.
This fresh violence comes a day after thousands of people in Ukhrul held a candlelight vigil for two Tangkhul Naga civilians killed in the April 18 ambush. The United Naga Council had also called for a three-day shutdown in protest.
Meanwhile, the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust condemned the killing of the two Kuki-Zo volunteers and the burning of houses in Mullam and Songphal villages. It alleged that armed members of the Tangkhul community carried out the attack and demanded a police case and a fair, time-bound investigation.
- With inputs from agencies
