Ukhrul district in Manipur on October 2 was shaken by violence after a clash between the villages of Hunphun and Hungpung over a long-standing land dispute. The incident left three people dead and more than 20 injured, according to Ukhrul Times. The violence reportedly erupted during a cleanliness drive organized by the Thawaijao Hungpung Young Students’ Organisation (THYSO), which covered the area from Thingrasa (near Punjab National Bank, Viewland) to the New District Hospital, Hungpung.
Tensions escalated when Hunphun village opposed the event, claiming the area was under their jurisdiction. The conflict quickly turned violent, leading to an exchange of gunfire. Among the deceased were Reileiwung Hongray and Silas Zingkhai from Hunphun village, and Worrinmi Thumra, a Manipur Rifles personnel from Lunghar village who was on duty nearby. Thumra is survived by his wife and three children.
A total of 22 individuals, including one police officer and two Manipur Rifles personnel, were injured and taken to the district hospital. One Manipur Rifles officer, who sustained a bullet wound to the neck, later died. Four critically injured persons were referred to JNIMS hospital in Imphal, while nine others were taken to Leishiphung Christian Hospital, where two victims were declared dead.
According to the report, Police sources revealed that more than ten weapons were stolen by a mob from Ukhrul Police Station. In response, Ukhrul Sub-Divisional Magistrate Dinringam Kamei imposed emergency restrictions under Section 163 of the BNSS, 2023, effective from 9:30 AM on October 2. The restrictions exclude government officials maintaining law and order and essential services, while processions for weddings or funerals require prior permission.
Executive Magistrates were deployed to oversee the affected areas, with SDC Ukhrul Hanyo Luke Rungsung and SDC/BO Riamei Jangmei taking responsibility for the Thingrasa and Ngaphar regions, respectively. To prevent further unrest, the state government temporarily suspended internet services in Ukhrul district for one day, starting at 1:20 PM, citing concerns about the misuse of social media to incite violence.
In a joint statement, Tangkhul legislators Khashim Vashum, MLA Ram Muivah, and MLA Leishiyo Keishing called for peace between the two villages, urging them to resolve the conflict through dialogue. “With a heart weighed down by sorrow, we stand before you today as one of your own, pleading for peace… Let us pause, reflect and remember that our strength lies in unity, not division,” the statement read. They appealed that the bond between the villages should not be torn apart by violence and appealed for peace between the two villages.