Two Naga Civilians Killed In Manipur Firing, Second Such Attack In Three Days
Two Naga civilians were killed and two others were injured after unidentified armed assailants opened fire in Manipur's Senapati district on Saturday afternoon, police officials said. The attack took place inside a house belonging to the village chief of Kalenjang, according to local reports.
The deceased were identified as Rocky and Kumar from two different villages in Senapati district. The identities and medical condition of the two injured persons were not immediately available. Police reached the area shortly after the firing to assess the situation. The sequence of events and the motive behind the attack remain unclear, officials said.
Local sources alleged that members of the Kuki tribe were involved in the attack. There has been no official confirmation of this claim, and authorities have not named any suspects.
The incident occurred two days after four civilians were killed in an armed attack in Kamjong district near the India-Myanmar border. That attack had raised concerns among Naga civil society organisations about the safety of Naga civilians in the state.
Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh condemned the Kalenjang killings. In a post on X, the Chief Minister's Office said he "condemned the killing of two civilians and injuring two others by unidentified militants at Kalajan village in Senapati district today." The post described the attack as "a cowardly act of violence against innocent lives."
The injured were shifted to a hospital in Senapati for immediate medical treatment, the Chief Minister's Office said. It added that the Chief Minister conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
Chief Minister Singh was in the Mao area on Saturday, nearly 30 km from the incident site, attending the Silver Jubilee celebrations of Don Bosco College (Autonomous), Maram.
The Kalenjang incident took place on the same day the United Naga Council (UNC) agreed to temporarily suspend its economic blockade following tripartite talks with the Centre and the Manipur government in Assam. The blockade was linked to the UNC's demands concerning the killing of six Naga men abducted in May.
The UNC has demanded the revocation of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki armed groups, the immediate removal of Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen, and justice for the six Naga men who were abducted in May and later killed. The Naga body has also sought action against those allegedly involved in the abduction and killings, and has demanded that the Kuki National Front-President (KNF-P) be designated a terrorist organisation.
The six men were abducted from Manipur's Leilon Vaiphei village on May 13, according to the UNC and other Naga organisations. Their bodies were recovered in June. The UNC has made justice for the victims a central issue in its agitation.
The latest firing comes amid heightened tensions between Naga and Kuki communities and ongoing negotiations between the UNC, the Centre and the state government. It has also renewed attention on the security situation in Kalenjang. According to local sources, two houses in the village were allegedly set ablaze by criminals in July.
No official response on the identity of those responsible was available at the time of publishing.
