Imphal: Three Kuki homes burned to the ground Wednesday in Kailenjang village. The attack happened on October 7 near the Kangpokpi-Senapati border. No people were hurt in the blaze. Villagers heard gunfire erupting around 2 pm near the settlement.
Kailenjang sits 10 km west of the Senapati district headquarters. The village remained mostly empty after a deadly September 26 attack left three Naga civilians dead. That earlier strike started when gunmen targeted the village chief’s home, killing two people instantly and leaving another to die later from injuries.
Two platoons of the Central Reserve Police Force are now on the ground. One unit sits in Kailenjang while the second holds a position in a village below. Despite this heavy presence, the arsonists struck anyway. Officials are still trying to figure out how the fire happened under the watch of the CRPF.
Security officials confirmed the burning of the three houses. They currently suspect armed elements carried out the assault. Investigators have yet to pin down a motive or identify the attackers. As authorities keep a tight watch on the area, the latest violence highlights the ongoing risk to displaced residents caught in Manipur’s ethnic conflict.
Updated at 8th October 2026 at 2:00pm
The victims of the September 26 attack were identified as Rocky Mao, Kumar Poumai, and Ashiho Sani. Reports indicate the fire at the abandoned homes destroyed important documents and personal belongings left behind by the displaced residents.
Kuki community leaders blasted the government for a perceived lack of accountability and unequal protection. They claim more than 28 Kuki civilians, including pregnant women and clergy, were killed by armed groups like NSCN-IM and ZUF-K this year alone. Calling the situation a pattern of selective enforcement, civil society groups are now demanding a National Investigation Agency probe and permanent central security deployment in vulnerable border areas.
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