5 Killed In Manipur: Protests In Kangpokpi As 2 Bodies Found, 3 Shot In Noney

Clashes erupted in Manipur's Kangpokpi district on Sunday following the recovery of the bodies of two Kuki men who went missing from Taphou Kuki village on October 28. A day earlier, in a separate incident, three Kuki men were killed in a reported exchange of gunfire between two unidentified armed groups at Kekru Naga village in the state's Noney district.

The victims in Kangpokpi were Paoginlal Hangsing, 20, and Tinginlun Chongloi, 20, whose disappearance had prompted the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), Sadar Hills, to call a shutdown across Kangpokpi district.

The bodies were recovered during a joint security operation and later brought to Kangpokpi District Hospital, where large crowds gathered. Tensions escalated after the deaths were confirmed, and security forces made efforts to bring the deteriorating situation under control.

According to the Manipur Police Control Room, multiple search operations were launched following the youths' disappearance. On Sunday, an extensive operation was conducted in the area east of National Highway-2 along the SP Road by teams of Manipur Police, the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Assam Rifles and the Rapid Action Force (RAF).

The operation resulted in the recovery of two bodies from the area. Official sources subsequently confirmed that the deceased were the two missing men.

Following the recovery, clashes broke out in Kangpokpi, prompting security forces to step up efforts to contain the violence and restore order. The circumstances surrounding the clashes and the extent of any casualties or damage were not immediately available.

As protests intensified, the police shifted the bodies to the SP's office in Kangpokpi, where angry demonstrators continued their agitation. Security personnel fired several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the protesting crowds amid mounting tensions.

Agitators also blocked National Highway-2, while business establishments and private institutions across the district remained shut in observance of the total shutdown called by CoTU.

The situation took a further turn after CoTU announced that it would not claim the bodies of the two youths until the government fulfilled its charter of demands, including the immediate removal of Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho.

CoTU had extended its total shutdown by another 24 hours on Saturday, hoping that Dikho would intervene with people in Senapati district to secure the safe release of the abducted youths. Speaking to reporters, CoTU spokesperson Ng Lun Kipgen said the extension was made in good faith, expecting the Deputy Chief Minister to persuade his people in Senapati to ensure the safe release of the two Kuki-Zo youths.

Police said the necessary legal formalities and other procedures were underway, and that extensive search and combing operations would continue to identify and apprehend those responsible. The circumstances leading to the deaths and the identities of those responsible remain under investigation.

In Noney, police confirmed that three men were killed in the gunfire exchange at Kekru Naga village under Nungba Police Station, approximately eight kilometres from the police station. The identities of those involved in the exchange and the circumstances that led to the incident remain unclear. The victims were identified as Thanglensang Singson, Thangkhosei Haokip and Lamminsang Kipgen.

Thanglensang Singson originally hailed from Maojang village and was residing at Tuinom in Thanlon subdivision of Churachandpur district. Thangkhosei Haokip was a resident of Thinghibung village in Henglep subdivision of Churachandpur district, while Lamminsang Kipgen hailed from Phaibong village in the same subdivision.

Local sources said tensions had been building in the surrounding areas for several days before Saturday's fatal incident. However, the specific developments that preceded the gunfire exchange and what triggered the violence remain unclear.

The killings have raised fresh concerns over the security situation in the district, particularly following a reported attack on Tazeikaiphun Naga village on October 29, during which several houses and other structures were reportedly burnt. Any connection between the two incidents remains unestablished.

Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), the apex body of the Kuki tribes, condemned the killings and alleged that cadres of the NSCN-IM and ZUF(K) were responsible. The organisation also alleged that the bodies of the deceased had been desecrated. KIM accused the authorities of failing to provide adequate security to vulnerable Kuki-Zo settlements in Noney district and demanded accountability and immediate measures to protect civilians.

The allegations against NSCN-IM and ZUF(K) have not been independently verified, and police have not identified those responsible.