Two Kukis killed in fresh Manipur attack after six missing Naga men found dead
Two Kukis killed in fresh Manipur attack. (Image courtesy: Wikimedia)
New Delhi: Tensions spiked across Manipur on Thursday after two Kuki villagers were killed in a fresh attack in the Kamjong district, a day after authorities recovered the bodies of six missing Naga men. According to media reports, unidentified armed men attacked Kultuh village near the India-Myanmar border in the early hours of Thursday.
The attack left two Kuki villagers dead and two others injured. The attackers also set six houses and a church on fire.
The Eastern Kuki Chiefs’ Association blamed an armed Naga group for the attack, alleging that community leaders linked to the church were targeted. However, the armed Naga vigilante group Naga Village Guard, Eastern Command (NVG-EC) denied the allegation and claimed the violence was linked to a dispute between rival Kuki groups operating along the border. The NVG-EC is an armed community defence group operating in the Naga-inhabited hill districts of Manipur, notably in the Ukhrul and Kamjong districts.
The NVG-EC should not be confused with Nagaland Village Guards which is a Nagaland government-run legally constituted state auxiliary force. The NVG-EC has been allegedly involved in many instances of violence in the past.
The incident came a day after security forces recovered the remains of six Naga men who had been missing since May. The bodies were found during a search operation involving Manipur Police, CRPF and Assam Rifles personnel.
The recovery triggered protests in Senapati district, where demonstrators vandalised property outside the office of the Naga Pople’s Front (NPF). Demonstrations were also reported in Imphal, while a 24-hour shutdown called by the united Naga council affected normal life in several Naga-majority areas.
The six Nagas were among 20 members of the community kidnapped on May 13. On the same day, 28 Kuki civilians were also taken captive following the killing of three church leaders from the Thadou community in Kangpokpi district.
Most of those held captive were released in the following weeks through community-led efforts. The remaining 14 Kukis were freed on June 9, while the six Nagas remained missing until their bodies were recovered this week.
Tension between the Naga and Kuki communities have remained strained due to longstanding disputes over land and territorial claims in Manipur’s hill districts. The latest cycle of violence intensified after the killing of three Kuki church leaders in May, triggering retaliatory kidnappings and renewed tensions between the two communities.
The state has also been grappling with the larger Meitei-Kuki conflict since May 2023, which has left hundreds dead and displaced thousands of people.
