A fresh surge of violence in Manipur has resulted in the deaths of at least five individuals following clashes between armed groups and attacks on villages in the Kamjong and Ukhrul districts. The incidents, which began on the evening of Friday, October 9, 2026, have heightened regional tensions. Former Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh and local border residents have reported that the death toll may be as high as seven, with two of the deceased alleged to be members of the Kuki National Army (Burma) who reportedly participated in attacks on Naga border villages.
In Kamjong, 42-year-old Domkhonei Touthang was shot dead on Friday night during a gunfight in Chassad village, while 22-year-old Michael Ngamminlen Haokip also lost his life in the same locality. Separately, in Ukhrul district, a 40-year-old Gurkha farmer identified as Sandeep Rai was killed on the Mahadev-Talui road on Saturday. The Working Committee of the Tangkhul Naga Long (WC-TNL) further reported that two Naga civilians, Ngachanso Ningshen and Leishisan Leishadang, were killed during an attack on Ningchou village on Saturday, a day that also saw nine houses set ablaze and a local police station targeted.
Accusations regarding the violence have been traded between community groups. The WC-TNL has blamed Kuki extremists for the offensive and for firing upon Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) personnel. Conversely, Kuki organisations, including the Kuki Students’ Organisation, have accused the IRB of indiscriminately opening fire on unarmed women and demanded the withdrawal of the state force, alleging bias. These incidents follow a security operation between October 4 and 7, during which the Indian Army and Assam Rifles recovered 27 improvised explosive devices along the Myanmar border. As authorities grapple with the unrest, Manipur’s Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen has sought urgent intervention from both state and central governments to restore order.
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