At least four members of the Kuki community were killed and a six-year-old child was severely injured in Manipur’s Tamenglong district on Sunday, triggering a retaliatory attack in which four Naga homes were set on fire hours later.
According to police records, the violence began around 5:30 a.m. at Tollen village, where 46-year-old Lhingzangai Singsit was shot dead on the spot. A married couple was also killed during the attack, and their six-year-old son sustained a gunshot wound to his hand, leaving it nearly severed. In a second attack at Longpi village, Julie Gangte, a pregnant woman, and Thangvel Roel Gangte were killed, while another resident, Nei Esther, suffered critical injuries.
No group has claimed responsibility for the killings in Tollen and Longpi.
Following the fatalities, four houses were set ablaze in Baiboni, a remote Naga village located approximately 30 kilometers from the district headquarters. An official speaking on condition of anonymity stated that local residents fled the area as security personnel moved in.
Security deployment in the region includes a permanent platoon of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) stationed at Baiboni, which consists of roughly 20 homes, and a column of 38 Assam Rifles located at Muolzol Kuki village, three kilometers away.
The killings follow months of heightened tensions and clashes involving armed groups in the state. A Kuki council issued a statement condemning the attacks, alleging that Naga armed groups have killed 22 Kuki-Zos, including women and children, since the beginning of 2026. The council accused Naga leadership of maintaining silence on these casualties while selectively demanding justice for six Nagas killed in May.
Naga organizations and lawmakers have previously pressured the central government for action regarding the May violence. On August 31, nine Naga legislators submitted a memorandum to Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanding the immediate arrest of Kuki-Zo leaders who claimed responsibility for the killing and dismemberment of the six Nagas—a group that included Thangboi Kipgen, husband of Kuki Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen. Naga groups have also called for the abrogation of the government’s Suspension of Operations ceasefire agreement with Kuki militant factions.
Security forces maintain an active presence in Tamenglong district as operations continue to restore order and monitor vulnerable villages.
Sources
– [Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/manipur-4-naga-homes-set-afire-in-retaliatory-attack-hours-after-kuki-killings-101789365061070.html)
Source: Hindustan Times – India News
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Story synopsis gathered from: Hindustan Times – India News — source
