Photo Courtesy: nenews
Imphal: Armed militants stormed Teikhang village in the Kangpokpi district on Monday morning, killing three residents and wounding four others. Roughly 50 men wielding high-grade weapons descended on the village. They opened fire and set houses ablaze. The violence began between 8 am and 9:30 am.
Kuki civil society organizations identified the dead as 40-year-old Tingneichin, 21-year-old Hoineing Lhujem, and 36-year-old Lamtinthang Lhujem. Four others, Nemneichong Lhujem, 50, Seilun Lhujem, 70, Deilhing Haokip, 55, and Kamtinsei Chongloi, 38, suffered critical injuries. Two village homes burned to the ground. Residents fled into nearby forests as gunfire echoed through the settlement.
The Twilang Area Kuki CSO Working Committee accused cadres from the NSCN-IM and ZUF-K of orchestrating the hit. The Kuki Students Organisation joined the condemnation. They issued a stern demand for government intervention: "The Kuki bodies called for immediate deployment of security forces in the area, safe passage for the injured and urgent medical assistance."
Authorities confirmed security forces arrived later to contain the clashes and restore order. An exchange of gunfire broke out between armed factions during the chaotic event. This tragedy adds to a bloody tally of over 20 deaths since the Naga-Kuki conflict ignited in February. Tensions remain at a breaking point along the IT Road corridor. Recent weeks saw four Liangmai Naga civilians killed on August 27 and two more killed on August 14. Separate unrest also flared in Kakching district Sunday night during a protest regarding the National Register of Citizens.
Updated at 31st August 2026 at 9:52pm
The Committee on Tribal Unity has ordered a 24-hour shutdown of National Highway 2 starting at 5 am Tuesday to protest the slaughter. The strike exempts medical services, fire crews, banks, and power utilities. The shutdown blocks a vital artery between Imphal and Nagaland.
Official reports pin the location at N. Teikhang village, roughly seven kilometers from Chalwa. The attack occurred near the T. Waichong sub-division. More granular details on the victims surfaced: the deceased include the wife of Tongpao Lhouvum, the wife of Thanggoulen Lhujem, and the son of Seilun Lhujem. Among the wounded are the wife of the late Lahnang Lhujem, the son of the late Lamneh Lhujem, the wife of Chonkhohao Haokip, and the son of the late Chungngam Chongloi.
Pressure is mounting on the government to act. The National People's Youth Front is pushing for a time-bound probe, demanding the state hold both the perpetrators and their enablers accountable. They are specifically calling for a review of whether the NSCN-IM violated established ceasefire ground rules during the assault.
Updated at 31st August 2026 at 10:19pm
The Committee on Tribal Unity has called a 24-hour shutdown of National Highway 2, starting at 5 am Tuesday and ending Wednesday. The strike aims to protest the burning of Kuki-Zo villages and the N. Teikhang killings. Protesters have exempted emergency services, banks, and utilities from the stoppage, which halts traffic between Imphal and Nagaland.
Thousands rallied in Kangpokpi on August 31 to demand the restoration of supply lines. Protesters marched to Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen’s office, demanding the removal of checkpoints at Thonglang, Chawangkining, and Taphou Naga. They allege these blockades have choked food and medical access to Kuki-Zo settlements since mid-May.
The Kuki Civic Action Committee is pointing fingers at the political establishment. They allege NPF leader Awangbow Newmai provided financial and logistical support to the hostile groups involved in the attack. The committee is pushing for an independent probe into these alleged ties, while the National People's Youth Front wants a time-bound investigation into whether the NSCN-IM violated established ceasefire ground rules during the assault.
CoTU also demanded the state functionalize police stations at Chalwa, Leimakhong, and Kangchup. They highlighted ongoing issues with overlapping police jurisdiction over Taphou Kuki, which they claim leaves the area vulnerable to further militant incursions.
Updated at 1st September 2026 at 1:50am
The Committee on Tribal Unity has locked down National Highway 2 for 24 hours. The strike, running from 5 am Tuesday through Wednesday morning, cuts the main artery between Imphal and Nagaland to protest the burning of Kuki-Zo villages and the slaughter at N. Teikhang. The shutdown carves out exemptions for banks, fire crews, and medical services.
Thousands massed in Kangpokpi on August 31, marching on Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen’s office. Protesters demanded the government tear down checkpoints at Thonglang, Chawangkining, and Taphou Naga, claiming these barriers have choked off food and medicine to Kuki-Zo settlements for months.
The Kuki Civic Action Committee alleges NPF leader Awangbow Newmai funneled cash and logistical help to the groups behind the raid. Meanwhile, community leaders are demanding the state bring police stations at Chalwa, Leimakhong, and Kangchup up to speed. They claim the current mess over jurisdiction in Taphou Kuki leaves the area wide open for more militant incursions.
Updated at 1st September 2026 at 9:48am
Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh has publicly condemned the attack. He vowed that the state will hunt down the killers and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law. An official state investigation is now underway.
Reports suggest a specific history of violence in the region predating the current crisis. On May 13, six Liangmai Naga civilians were abducted from Leilon Vaiphei and later found dead after being held for nearly a month.
Updated at 1st September 2026 at 1:48pm
The volatile IT Road corridor faced fresh violence on the morning of September 1. Armed groups hit Tapon Khunou and Tapon Kullen villages with sustained fire starting around 4 am. Assailants also torched Pipuram, a Liangmai Naga settlement eight kilometers from Makui, leaving food stores and homes in ashes. The Makui Village Authority accused Kuki militants of the raid, alleging the groups aim to push Liangmai residents off ancestral lands.
The Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) has broken its silence, slamming the state and central government for a one-sided response to the bloodshed. The committee claims the administration fast-tracks NIA investigations when Kuki civilians are targeted but ignores similar carnage against Nagas. The group cataloged a violent timeline reaching back to April, citing multiple ambushes and the May 13 abduction of 18 Liangmai Naga civilians in Kangpokpi, where six bodies were recovered weeks later. The TNL is now demanding a high-level central commission or NIA takeover of all cases involving Naga victims to ensure accountability.
Updated at 1st September 2026 at 5:49pm
The Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) has released a comprehensive catalog of violence spanning from April to August, alleging a campaign of abductions, ambushes, and arson targeting Naga communities. The group identified specific incidents including an April 18 ambush on National Highway 202 near Litan police station that left two dead, and a series of attacks on Naga Village Guards between April and May. The TNL claims 18 Liangmai Naga civilians were abducted in Kangpokpi on May 13, with six later found dead in June. They further allege that Kuki National Front-Presidential and Kuki Revolutionary Army cadres were behind the August 27 ambush that killed four villagers.
Fresh assaults hit the IT Road corridor on September 1. Assailants torched Tapon Namsan and Makui Pipuram, leaving both villages completely gutted. Firing persisted throughout the morning in Thonglang Akut and Upper Tapon. A local pastor from Tapon village sustained injuries during the skirmish. The Makui Village Authority claims the attack involved roughly 100 households and accused the militants of attempting to seize ancestral land.
Villagers at Tapon accused security forces of inaction. Local sources report that the Tapon village chief appealed for protection from a nearby CRPF post, but received no support despite claims that permission for intervention could be cleared with the camp commander. Two CRPF Casper vehicles finally deployed toward the area from Chawangkining shortly after midday.
Updated at 1st September 2026 at 9:51pm
Violence spilled over into Liangmai Naga territory early Tuesday morning. Armed groups targeted Tapon Khunjao, Tapon Khunou, and Makui Pipuram, torching at least 30 houses and destroying vehicles, including a JCB, trucks, and a Gypsy. Residents reported sustained gunfire and explosions echoing across the IT Road corridor from 4 am until midday.
N. Luithuibou, a 49-year-old pastor at Tapon Khunjao, suffered gunshot wounds to his hand and abdomen. G. Abonmai, vice-president of Tapon Namsan, was also confirmed injured. Local authorities claim the attackers looted properties and destroyed food stocks, grain, and church belongings before security forces finally arrived around 1 pm.
Liangmai village guards used single and double barrel guns to push back against the raiders. Villagers who survived the assault accused local CRPF units of sitting on their hands, claiming officers failed to respond to distress calls from the Tapon village chief despite being stationed just a few kilometers away.
Updated at 2nd September 2026 at 9:48am
New reports indicate the Tuesday morning assault on Tapon Khunjao, Tapon Khunou, and Makui Pipuram involved an estimated 300 militants. The Village Authority claims the raid spanned nine hours, beginning around 3:30 am and lasting until security forces reached the area at 12:30 pm. Property destruction in Tapon Namsan and Tapon (Old) includes at least 28 houses, a rice mill, two-wheelers, an Eeco van, and multiple trucks, along with a JCB machine.
Community leaders allege the 112 Battalion CRPF Echo Company at Banglabung, located just two kilometers from the violence, ignored repeated distress calls. The Tapon Village Authority has formally demanded full compensation for destroyed granaries, livestock, and agricultural assets, alongside the permanent stationing of security forces in Pipuram, Naga Tapon, and Tapon Namsan.
The Village Authority pointed to potential coordination among Kuki armed groups, specifically naming KNF/UPF Home Secretary Jangboi Kipgen and president ST Thangboi Kipgen in the planning of the operation. They allege these leaders held a meeting in early August to mobilize cadres for the IT Road strikes.
Updated at 2nd September 2026 at 5:48pm
New details from the Tapon Naga Village Authority paint a grim picture of the Tuesday morning assault. The Village Authority claims more than 300 militants swarmed Pipuram Makui, Naga Tapon (Old), and Naga Tapon Namsan (New) villages. The raiders methodically ransacked homes, set fires, and destroyed community assets including a rice mill, a stone crusher, and church property. Survivors report that food stocks and entire granaries were turned to ash.
Pastor Luithuibou Newmai, who was shot while attempting to escape, survived after seven pellets struck his back and hand. He told reporters from his hospital bed in Senapati that he remained trapped under fire for hours because security forces failed to mobilize, despite being stationed within minutes of the village. The pastor noted that his bag, which held his Bible and a torch, likely shielded his spine from deeper wounds.
Local leaders are now demanding the permanent stationing of security forces inside Tapon and Pipuram, alongside full state-sponsored compensation for lost livestock and destroyed homes. The village authorities have also formally requested an independent investigation into the alleged involvement of KNF/UPF leadership in planning the IT Road strikes during an early August meeting.
Updated at 2nd September 2026 at 10:06pm
A fresh wave of arson hit Tiporam village on Wednesday, where residents report 25 homes were torched. At least five of the destroyed properties belonged to members of the local Nepali community. Villagers had previously evacuated to Makui but were fired upon after attempting to return to their homes on Tuesday. Residents claim security forces were alerted to the burning but failed to intervene until Wednesday.
Surviving pastor N. Luithuibou, 49, remains hospitalized after doctors extracted seven pellets from his back and hand. He told reporters from his bed that he stayed trapped under fire from 3:45 am until midday on Tuesday. He claims the bag he carried, stuffed with his Bible and a torch, likely kept the pellets from piercing his spine. The pastor and local leaders are pushing back against the official security timeline, insisting that nearby units could have reached the villages within minutes but chose not to act.
The Liangmai Naga Council has officially petitioned both state and central governments to bolster security and provide direct protection for vulnerable settlements. Local groups are specifically contrasting the military's current inertia with the recent deployment of 1,000 COBRA personnel during a combing operation in Taphou, asking why these villages were left undefended during a nine-hour siege.
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