Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand chaired a security review meeting at the Cabinet Hall of the Chief Minister’s Secretariat in Babupara, Imphal, on Saturday to assess the state’s law and order situation after five people were killed in two separate incidents in Kangpokpi and Ukhrul districts.
The violence began on Thursday, when a Kuki woman was killed while working in a paddy field during an armed attack at Taphou Kuki village in Kangpokpi district. On Friday, suspected Kuki militants ambushed and killed four Naga civilians at New Heaven village in Ukhrul district, along National Highway 202, the Imphal-Nagaland route via Ukhrul.
At the review, participants decided that combing operations would continue to apprehend those involved in various crimes. Security personnel deployed at posts in different areas were asked to strengthen security arrangements in their respective jurisdictions. The meeting also discussed measures to further strengthen security in vulnerable areas of the state.
Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam, Chief Secretary Rajeev Singh Thakur, Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh, Director General of Police Mukesh Singh and the Additional Director General of Police (law and order) attended. Senior officers of the Assam Rifles, Central Reserve Police Force and Border Security Force, other senior officers of central security agencies and officials from the home department were also present.
Naga body issues three-day ultimatum
The Tangkhul Naga Long issued a “public ultimatum” giving the state and central governments three days to drive out all those it called “Kuki terrorist” from Naga areas. It also demanded that the case be handed over to the National Investigation Agency within the deadline.
The Naga organisation said the Ukhrul killings were the fourth such incident at the same location. It placed sole responsibility for failing to protect the lives of innocent civilians on the state and central governments, said it had lost complete faith in central security forces and demanded their immediate withdrawal. The TNL warned that failure to resolve the issue would lead to an indefinite agitation until justice was delivered.
Kuki group challenges police reporting
Separately, Kuki Inpi Manipur issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the Manipur Police over what it described as “selective reporting and ethnic bias.” The group said police treated the killing of Kimneineng Chongloi, a 40-year-old Kuki woman, as a mere “firing incident” without identifying the perpetrators. KIM said police had explicitly identified the attackers as “suspected Kuki armed miscreants” in a separate statement about an injured Tangkhul Naga civilian.
KIM demanded an internal investigation, a public explanation and corrective action. It warned that failure to comply within 72 hours would lead it to pursue legal remedies and suspend cooperation with the Manipur Police in Kuki areas.