Gunmen Kill Two Naga Civilians in Manipur Village Attack

Armed miscreants shot and killed two Naga civilians in Manipur on Saturday afternoon. The attack took place inside an abandoned house in Kalenjang village near Taphou Kuki in Senapati district. Two other people suffered injuries in the gun attack.

Local authorities quickly rushed the wounded victims to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.

Police confirmed that the victims were attacked inside a home belonging to the Kalenjang village chief. Officers identified the deceased men as Rocky and Kumar. Rocky was from Chowainu village under the Mao police station.

He belonged to the Mao Naga community. Kumar was from Laii Shirafii village under the Tungjoy police station. He belonged to the Poumai Naga community.

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Both men were residents of Senapati district.

A police team reached the village shortly after the shooting began and started an official investigation. Officers are searching for the attackers responsible for the gunfire. Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh condemned the incident.

He called the killings a "cowardly act of violence" in an official statement. In a post on X, he questioned how long the state would keep counting bodies instead of holding people accountable. He stated that these were civilians who deserved to live without fear.

Police noted that Kalenjang village had been deserted before Saturday's attack. Miscreants had set two houses on fire in the village during July. Following that arson, residents fled the area.

Village chief Lhingjahoi Hangshing previously issued a statement explaining that the village was empty. The chief condemned the July attack and noted that villagers left due to ongoing regional tensions.

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The Senapati shooting occurred just two days after another deadly assault in the state. In that earlier attack, gunmen killed four Tangkhul Naga civilians at Pilong in Kamjong district. That incident took place near the India-Myanmar border.

These back-to-back killings have raised deep concerns among Naga civil society groups regarding safety in the region.

The latest attack also took place during key political developments. On the same day, the United Naga Council agreed to temporarily halt its economic blockade. That agreement followed tripartite talks with the Central government and the Manipur government in Assam.

Authorities continue to monitor security across Senapati district following the latest violence.