Photo Courtesy: nenow
Imphal: Naga leaders are demanding the immediate return of a beheaded civilian’s remains following a string of violent attacks in Manipur. The Working Committee of the Joint Tribes Council Manipur (JTCM) and the All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) condemned the October 9 and 10 incidents. They described the violence as a barbaric massacre. Six Naga men died across Kangpokpi and Kamjong districts during the raids.
In Kangpokpi, attackers struck Makui and Tapon villages on October 10. The dead include Machungamang Daimai, a village guard, along with Dibambou Ringkangmai, 48, Ajinbou R. Ringkangmai, 52, and Ramningpou Gangmei, 53. Two other men, Mathangambou Chawang and Nashon Pame, sustained injuries. The Makui Village Authority alleged that Ajinbou R. Ringkangmai was beheaded and his severed head used as a shooting target. The attackers fled with the head, preventing a traditional burial.
The violence hit Kamjong district on October 9 and 10 as well. Two civilians, Ngachanso Ningshen and Leishisan Leishadang, died there. Two Naga civil defence volunteers suffered gunshot wounds. These assaults destroyed nine houses in the area. Separately, the Pongringlong Youth Club reported that 30 armed cadres set fire to 17 structures in Pongringlong village, following a history of local unrest dating back to May.
Tribal bodies pointed fingers at Kuki militant groups, including the KNF-P, KNF-N, KRA, and the Myanmar-based KNA-B. The JTCM explicitly claimed that the Suspension of Operations agreement failed. "The SoO has not prevented violence; it has enabled it," the committee stated. They demanded the state and central governments force a verified surrender of illegal weapons and confine all armed groups to designated camps.
ANSAM rejected official police reports claiming the region remained calm during the attacks. The association called for a high-level, impartial investigation into the killings and property destruction, which included the looting of church assets and the slaughter of livestock. With 32 Naga deaths reported since February 2026, the JTCM warned that government inaction makes authorities complicit in the bloodshed.
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