Three persons were killed in two separate incidents of firing between armed groups of rival tribal communities in Manipur’s Ukhrul district on Friday morning, officials said.
In one incident near Mullam village, security forces recovered two bodies around 11.25 am. The deceased, identified as L Sitlhou and P Haolai, were found in camouflage outfits with bullet injuries, officials added.
Earlier in the day, a heavy exchange of fire broke out between armed militants at Mullam village around 5.30 am. Some outlying houses were also set ablaze during the violence, officials said.
The Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust condemned the killing of what it described as “two village volunteers” and the burning of houses in Mullam and nearby Songphal villages. The organisation demanded immediate registration of an FIR and a time-bound investigation into the incident.
In a separate incident, a 29-year-old man, identified as H Jamang from Chatric Khullen in Kamjong district, was killed in an ambush by armed militants near Sinakeithei village in Ukhrul district early Friday morning. Officials said the victim died on the spot and his body has been recovered.
The Tangkhul Naga Long expressed “profound sadness” over Jamang’s killing. In a statement, the body alleged that armed Kuki cadres were responsible for the ambush, claiming that Naga village guards had been deployed in the area following repeated disruptions along the Sirarakhong–Sinakeithei stretch.
According to the statement, the guards had gone out on patrol when they were attacked. The claims, however, could not be independently verified.
Kuki organisations have denied involvement in the ambush, even as tensions remain high in the district and adjoining Kamjong.
The latest incidents come against the backdrop of escalating violence in the region. On April 18, suspected militants had killed two Tangkhul Naga civilians, including a retired Army personnel, in an ambush on a civilian convoy at TM Kasom in Ukhrul district.
While Tangkhul Naga groups blamed Kuki militants for that attack, Kuki organisations rejected the allegations, underscoring the deepening mistrust between communities.
Officials said security forces are monitoring the situation closely and efforts are underway to prevent further escalation in the sensitive hill district.
The twin incidents have once again highlighted the fragile security situation in Manipur’s hill areas, where sporadic clashes and targeted attacks have continued to fuel tensions between rival groups.
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