Two Kuki villagers were killed, and two more were injured on Thursday in a fresh attack by armed miscreants at a village in Manipur’s Kamjong district, police said, with the incident coming a day after six mutilated bodies of Naga hostages captured by Kuki militants last month were found by security forces.
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“On 11.06.2026 at about 04:30 AM, some unidentified armed miscreants carrying sophisticated firearms entered Kultuh Village [a Kuki settlement] and opened indiscriminate fire upon the villagers… As a result, two persons were killed, several villagers sustained injuries, and seven houses were burnt down, causing extensive damage to property,” police said in a statement.
Police identified the deceased as Letminlun Haokipop (35) and Lunminthang Haokipop (23), both of whom are community leaders of the area. While the injured were identified as Jangkhomang (28) and Kamminlal (27).
Kuki Baptist Convention condemned the killings and urged the authorities to take “decisive and comprehensive measures” to ensure protection of civilians.
Eastern Kuki Chief’s Association, a Kuki chiefs’ body, strongly condemned the attack, terming it “heinous and barbaric.”
The association accused the National Socialist Council of Nagaland- NSCN( Eastern Flank), a Naga militant outfit faction, and Shanni National Army (SNA) junta, of being responsible for the attack. The statement claimed that Letmunlun Haokip was the head deacon of Kultuh church while Lunminthang Haokip was the youth chairman of Kultuh Church.
The association urged the authority concerned and security agencies to immediately investigate and to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of the vulnerable villages in the region.
Meanwhile, family members and relatives of the six missing Naga civilians on Thursday identified all the mutilated bodies that were deposited at Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Science (JNIMS) morgue.
The six Naga individuals were identified as Manu Thiumai, Dilip Thiumai, Kenpibou, Phenrongwi Thiumai, Kaliwangbou Abonmai and Ch Phenrilung, who had been untraceable since May 13.
An eyewitness, who did not wish to be named, told HT that while Dilip’s body was found intact, Manu’s was found mutilated. ”But the remaining were highly mutilated, and we identified them by their clothes and shoes,” the eyewitness said.
The 24-hour total shutdown imposed by the United Naga Council (UNC), a Naga apex body, in mourning of the six suspected Naga hostages has paralysed many Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur, especially in Senapati district. The shutdown will be effective from 6 am on Thursday till 6 am on Friday.
In another incident, unknown armed miscreants attacked Thingphai Kuki village in the Saikul region of Kangpokpi on Wednesday night; however, officials confirmed no casualties were reported.
Meanwhile, an irate mob vandalised the office of the Naga People’s Front (NPF), a Naga political party, at Liangmai Taphou in Senapati district of Manipur on Wednesday night.
The six civilians, whose bodies were recovered on Wednesday, were among the 48 civilians from both Kuki and Naga communities taken hostage by people from both groups on May 13. Two days later, 14 people from each community were set free. But 14 Kuki civilians and six Naga civilians remained captured.
Following a twin ambush on May 13, both communities took civilians as hostages. The first ambush occurred at Saheibung village, under the New Keithelmanbi police station in Kangpokpi district, killing three civilians. The second ambush took place at the boundary area of Joujangtek and Nungsai-II villages, under the Khoupum police station in Noney district, killing one civilian.
Protesters blamed the government for failing to ensure the safety of the civilians who were allegedly held hostage by armed groups.
