Four Tangkhul Naga civilians were killed after armed men ambushed two vehicles travelling towards Imphal along National Highway 202 at New Haven village in Manipur’s Ukhrul district on Friday, triggering fresh tension and prompting the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) to issue a three-day ultimatum to the Centre and the Manipur government.
According to Manipur Police, the incident took place at around 1 pm under Litan Police Station when unidentified armed men opened fire on a Maruti Swift and a Bolero pickup vehicle. All four occupants sustained fatal bullet injuries and died on the spot.
The deceased were identified by police as Kapangkhui RS and Haoleia RS of Shangshak village, and August Ngalung and Khanmila of Tashar village. The two victims from Shangshak were siblings, while those from Tashar were a mother and her son. The TNL’s statement identified the latter two as Tychicus Ngalung and Tanmila Keishing, and gave the Shangshak victims’ village as Shangshak Khullen.
Police said additional forces comprising Manipur Police, the Border Security Force, Army and Assam Rifles had been rushed to the area to reinforce security and prevent further incidents. Search operations have been launched in and around the site to trace and apprehend those involved. A police officer, speaking anonymously, told Hindustan Times that the attackers were suspected to be Kuki militants.
TNL issues three-day ultimatum
The apex Tangkhul Naga body issued the ultimatum following an emergency meeting of Tangkhul civil society organisations, strongly condemning the killing of the four civilians in broad daylight. The attack reportedly took place just metres from central security forces deployed in the area.
In a statement dated November 13, the TNL said the New Heaven incident was the fourth such attack at the same location. It demanded that the case be immediately handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and called for the removal of “Kuki terrorists” from Naga areas.
Holding both the state and Central governments responsible for failing to protect civilians, the TNL said it had lost complete faith in the central security forces deployed in the area and demanded their immediate withdrawal.
The organisation further stated that the families of the victims had resolved not to claim the bodies until its demands were met. It warned that failure to fulfil the demands within three days would lead to an indefinite public agitation until justice was delivered.
Naga-Kuki tensions add to Manipur’s prolonged violence
The killing comes amid growing tensions between Naga and Kuki communities, opening another front in Manipur’s prolonged ethnic conflict. The state has been engulfed in violence since May 2023, when clashes first broke out between the Meitei and Kuki communities. The conflict has since resulted in nearly 370 deaths and the displacement of around 66,000 people, while leaving the state divided along ethnic lines.
Recent Naga-Kuki clashes have included village attacks, ambushes and reports of mutilated bodies, further deepening insecurity in affected areas.
On Thursday, a 40-year-old woman was killed and two others injured after unidentified armed men opened fire on farmers working in a paddy field in Taphou Kuki village in Senapati district. In a separate incident the same day, a 52-year-old Naga civilian was injured in a firing incident at Sinakeithei village in Ukhrul district. (With inputs agencies)
