Manipur hit by fresh clashes, 1 killed in gunfight

There was a fresh outbreak of violence in strife-torn Manipur on Saturday as gunbattle erupted between Meitei and Kuki groups in the Kangpokpi district, where a Meitei man was killed, and, separately, between Manipur police commandos and militants in the border town of Moreh, where one commando sustained bullet injuries. The two incidents came 26 days after 13 people were killed in a gunfight on December 4 in Tengnoupal district.

Read here: Manipur police commando injured during gunfire between armed men, security forces

Manipur has been in the throes of ethnic violence since early May as clashes erupted between the Meiteis, the most populous community in the state, and the tribal Kukis. While a bulk of the violence took place in the days after May 3, attacks between communities have continued intermittently ever since. The violence has seen 197 lives lost, according to government numbers, and over 50,000 from both communities displaced from their homes, with Meiteis from the Kuki dominated hills fleeing for their lives, and Kukis from the Meitei dominated Imphal valley chased out of their homes. The tension has also seen the creation of community based armed “village defence volunteers” that are often armed.

On Saturday morning at around 3.30am, senior police officials said, there was the exchange of fire between village defence volunteers of the Kuki and Meitei communities. “This took place between the hill ranges of Nakhujang and Singda Kuki villages under Kangchup police station. The exchange of fire lasted till around 4.20am,” the police officer said.

Police officials confirmed that in the firing, a Meitei man identified as Ningombam James, 32, a resident of Imphal West, sustained bullet injuries and was taken to Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) in Imphal, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

The Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU), a Kuki organisation active in Kangpokpi, claimed the gunfight started over protection of forestland after Meitei youths allegedly cut firewood in a forest located close to a Kuki village.

“When Kuki village volunteers went for patrolling in the area this morning, they were fired upon by armed youths from Imphal Valley who had trespassed the buffer zones (between Meitei-dominated and Kuki-dominated areas). The exchange of fire took place for nearly an hour,” said a COTU office bearer.

K Lhouvam, chairman of the Leimakhong Area Protection Committee, who is also a resident of the area near Nakhujang said, “The Nakhujang village had around 30 houses. On June 2, it was attacked by Meiteis and after that Meitei groups had set up bunkers in the village and the Nakhujang forest area. The Kuki residents had fled to other villages.”

Lhouvam said that on Saturday morning, a group of 15 Kuki village volunteers had come to the Nakhujang village to enquire if Meiteis were chopping trees in the area and building homes. “The Kuki villages had come to check the area when they came under heavy fire from the Meitei volunteers who were already there in the village. In the gunfight between the two groups, one of the Meitei volunteers died. None of the Kuki volunteers sustained injuries. We have been told that there is heavy security in Nakhujang after the incident.”

The incident where the latest violence was reported is in the buffer zone between Imphal West and Kangpokpi. Meities are the dominant community in Imphal West while Kukis outnumber Meiteis in Kangpokpi.

The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an Imphal-based umbrella group of Meitei organisations, did not respond to requests for comment.

Villagers in Imphal West protested later in the day and alleged that security personnel posted in the hill areas were not acting against those carrying weapons.

In a separate incident in the afternoon, at around 3.40pm, a convoy of Manipur police commandos was attacked by militants on the Imphal-Moreh highway, near the border with Myanmar, injuring one commando. The unidentified militants also threw explosives at the convoy, the commandos told police. There were no fatalities.

“The firing between militants and Manipur police commandos continued from 3.45pm to 5.30pm. One commando sustained injuries and was rushed to the hospital. We have been told that bombs and explosives were thrown at the convoy from the jungle side on the hills. There is heavy security in Moreh,” a police officer, who asked not to be named, said.

Manipur police later confirmed both incidents on X.

“On 30.12.2023 one Rifleman namely Rfn. No. 15007660 G. Ponkhamlung of 5th IRB presently attached to Spl. CDO was injured in his right thigh by a splinter during an ambush by unknown armed miscreants at Moreh, Tengnoupal District,” it said.

“On 30.12.2023, one civilian was injured in a firing incident by unknown armed miscreants at Kadangband and later succumbed to his injuries,” it added, referring to the incident in Kangpokpi district.

The officer quoted above said the commandos were attacked by militants on the highway stretch between M Chahnou village and Moreh Power house. M Channou and surrounding villages are inhabited by Kuki-Zo community.

“It looks like unidentified gunmen attacked the Manipur police commandos. We condemn the attack. But we reiterate that Kuki people here are opposed to Manipur police’s commandos being posted here. The commandos of the state police are biased. We have given several representations to the government not to post commandos in Moreh as the residents here are Kukis,” said Kaikholal Haokip, spokesperson of the Kuki Inpi Tengnoupal, an umbrella group for Kuki residents of Tengnouplal. Moreh comes under administrative jurisdiction of Tengnoupal district.

Following the ambush, residents of Kuki villages, including M Channou fled their homes. In the evening, officials of Assam Rifles on loud speakers urged villagers to return to their homes, saying there was no violence in the area and security had been increased. “All people from the Kuki villages had fled their house. Security forces are making announcements on the speaker and urging them to return. Bombs were used in the gunfight during the day so people are afraid,” Kaikholal Haokip added.

Kuki-Zo bodies in Tengnoupal district including Kuki Inpi and Hill Tribal Council alleged that houses belonging to community members in Moreh were set on fire by state police.

In a joint press statement, the groups stated that state police torched houses in Lhangnom Veng Moreh after a gunfight erupted between the police commandos and unidentified gunmen.

“In the aftermath of the gun fight, the panic-stricken public took shelter leaving their homes, taking advantage of the deserted homes, the police commandos burnt down three houses in Lhangnom Veng, Moreh ward No.9”, claimed the statement. Residents shared photos that showed houses in the village that were allegedly burnt down.

“The joint CSOs (civil society organisations) vehemently condemns the arson and indiscriminate firing towards Kuki-Zo localities and urges the concern authority to immediately withdraw the state forces,” it added.

Read here: Manipur: One killed in fresh Kuki-Meitei gunfight in Kangpokpi

Segin, a volunteer of the Hill Tribal Council, Moreh, said, “Three Kuki houses were set on fire. We suspect it was done by the commandos. People from those villages have also fled and are refusing to go back.”

The Manipur police said they are yet to receive any information about houses being burnt. The Director General of Police Rajiv Singh did not respond to repeated requests for comment.