Manipur woke up on Monday to a grim weekend toll. Five men from the Kuki community were killed in two separate incidents in the past 24 hours, police said on Sunday, and security has been stepped up where Kuki and Naga settlements sit close together.
Three men were killed in a gunfight in Noney on Saturday, and the bodies of two young men who had gone missing days earlier were recovered on Sunday. Kuki organisations have blamed Naga armed groups. Police have not named those responsible, and the Naga group named most often has denied any involvement.
What happened in Noney and along NH-2
According to police statements reported on Sunday, three Kuki men were killed in an exchange of fire involving unidentified armed men at Kekru Naga village in Noney district on Saturday. Noney is a Naga-majority district, and the incident immediately put neighbouring villages on edge.
Two Kuki youths, Thangginlun Congloi, 21, and Paoginlal Hangsing, 20, had gone missing from Taphou Kuki village in Senapati district on October 28. Their bodies were recovered on Sunday by a joint team of security forces during a search along the NH-2 corridor. The recovery came as the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), a Kuki organisation, held a shutdown demanding information about their whereabouts.
Police said search operations involving Manipur Police, the CRPF, CoBRA, Assam Rifles and the Rapid Action Force were continuing to identify those responsible.
Who has said what
The reaction has cut across community lines at the top of the state government, but the blame game has been sharp below it. Both Deputy Chief Ministers, Nemcha Kipgen, who is Kuki, and Losii Dikho, who is Naga, condemned the killings.
Kuki organisations went further. The Kuki Inpi Manipur alleged that the NSCN-IM and ZUF(K) were involved in the Noney killings, and the Committee on Tribal Unity called the deaths a direct and unprovoked assault. Those allegations have not been independently verified.
The NSCN-IM, under a ceasefire agreement since 1997, has denied involvement. The Kuki Human Rights Forum has demanded a proper investigation and action against the groups allegedly involved.
Why tensions are rising now
The five deaths did not happen in a vacuum. They came amid mass protests in Imphal and other areas, where hundreds of thousands of people have demanded the abrogation of a ceasefire arrangement between Kuki armed groups and the Indian state. At the same time, Meitei and Naga organisations have intensified their own agitation, holding large rallies in Imphal and in Naga-dominated districts and demanding action against Kuki armed groups.
The Kuki and Naga tribes have a long history of conflict over competing claims to ethnic homelands. The latest Naga-Kuki clashes have already claimed more than 60 lives since February this year.
The wider Manipur conflict is older and larger. The Kuki-Meitei conflict began in May 2023 over economic benefits and job quotas, has claimed more than 300 lives, and left more than 60,000 people in temporary shelters.
- Five dead in 24 hours: three killed in a gunfight in Noney on Saturday, two bodies recovered on Sunday.
- The missing youths: aged 20 and 21, missing from Taphou Kuki village since October 28.
- Allegations and denial: Kuki bodies blame Naga armed groups; NSCN-IM denies involvement; police have named no group.
- Security response: forces stepped up in Naga and Kuki dominated areas amid fears of further escalation.
- Longer context: more than 60 Naga-Kuki conflict deaths since February this year; more than 300 deaths since May 2023.
What happens next
For now, the immediate question is whether the weekend’s killings trigger retaliation or further shutdowns. Security has been beefed up in Naga and Kuki dominated areas, and search operations are still going on. Each round of killings hardens competing demands, and ordinary villagers in Noney, Senapati and Kangpokpi are left waiting for a security arrangement that holds. Until investigators can name, with evidence, who carried out the attacks, the allegations and denials will keep feeding the tension they describe.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were killed in Manipur over the weekend?
Five Kuki men were killed in two separate incidents reported in the past 24 hours: three in a gunfight in Noney district on Saturday, and two whose bodies were recovered on Sunday.
Where did the two incidents happen?
Three men were killed at Kekru Naga village in Noney district. The two missing youths were from Taphou Kuki village in Senapati district, and their bodies were recovered during a joint search along the NH-2 corridor.
Who has been blamed for the killings?
Kuki organisations have alleged the involvement of Naga armed groups, including the NSCN-IM. The NSCN-IM has denied involvement, and police have not named those responsible.
Is this part of the wider Manipur conflict?
Yes, but it is a distinct strand. The wider Kuki-Meitei conflict began in May 2023 and has claimed more than 300 lives. The latest flare-up is between Kuki and Naga groups, a conflict that has claimed more than 60 lives since February this year.
What is the security situation now?
Security has been stepped up in Naga and Kuki dominated areas, and search operations are continuing to identify those responsible for the weekend’s deaths.
Manipur has seen too many weekends like this one. The test now is whether five deaths can be stopped from becoming the next round.
