Violence erupted in Manipur’s Kuki-Zo area near the Indo-Myanmar border on Thursday, leaving two people dead and several houses burnt, as tensions escalated following the recovery of the bodies of six Naga men who had been missing for nearly a month, Indian Express reported.
According to reports, the situation in the state deteriorated after joint security forces recovered six bodies on Wednesday evening, believed to be among those abducted on May 13. The search for the missing men had continued for nearly four weeks before the recovery.
The development came a day after Naga groups released 14 Kuki men who had been held in Senapati district, amid demands for the safe return of the abducted individuals.
Following the recovery, large crowds gathered at the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) in Imphal East, where the bodies were brought for post-mortem examination early Thursday morning. The gathering reportedly included family members of the deceased as well as members of Naga civil society organisations.
Tensions escalated at the hospital premises, prompting security forces deployed at the site to use tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Soon after, violence was reported from Kultuh village, a Kuki-Zo settlement located near the Indo-Myanmar border in Kamjong district.
Officials said the attack began around 4 am, during which at least two people were killed and six houses were set on fire.
Kuki-Zo organisations identified the deceased as Letminlun Haokip, head deacon of Kultuh Church, and Lunminthang Haokip, a youth leader associated with the church.
Security has been tightened in the affected areas, and authorities are monitoring the situation as further details are awaited.