A Kuki-Zo woman has been killed in an ambush by suspected Naga militants in Manipur’s Kamjong district, marking yet another violent episode in the ongoing ethnic instability plaguing the state. The victim, identified as Hatneikim Haokip from Molnoi village, was travelling with her husband and two other community members toward Phaikoh to purchase essential commodities when the attack occurred on the road connecting Phaikoh and Aishu.
While Hatneikim Haokip lost her life in the ambush, her husband sustained injuries. Reports further indicate that the two other civilians accompanying the couple remain missing. This latest fatality brings the total number of Kuki-Zo women killed in the Kuki-Naga clashes to ten, a statistic that includes two pregnant women. The current wave of violence follows the protracted Kuki-Meitei conflict, which spanned from 2023 to 2025, and adds to the recent escalation that saw nine people killed across three districts just five days prior.
In a separate grim development, security forces recovered the severed head of a Naga man, Ajinbou Ringkamai, in the Kangpokpi district late on Wednesday night. Ringkamai was among four individuals killed during an attack on Makui Ashang village on October 10. Following that incident, his body had been transported to the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal, but his head remained missing until the recent search operation in an isolated area near the site of the original attack. The Joint Tribes Council Manipur had previously issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding the recovery of the remains for a proper funeral.
Since the Kuki-Naga clashes intensified in February of this year, official counts estimate that at least 22 Naga individuals and 32 Kuki-Zo people have been killed. Speaking in Imphal on Thursday, Manipur Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam addressed the precarious situation while visiting security personnel receiving medical treatment. He emphasized that government policy and security deployments, while necessary, are insufficient on their own to suppress the cycle of violence.
"When the general people do not have humanity, then nobody can stop killing each other. We should understand that," the minister stated, stressing the urgent need for local participation in peace efforts. He urged all communities to abandon violence and engage in meaningful dialogue, asserting that anger must be restrained to prevent further loss of life. He reiterated that the state government is working to facilitate such discussions, but maintained that societal cooperation is equally vital for restoration of order.
Meanwhile, the broader security landscape remains tense. Lt Gen Girish Kalia, General Officer Commanding of the Spear Corps, conducted an inspection of Assam Rifles forward posts in the state on Thursday. His review focused on the operational preparedness of troops tasked with guarding the 398-kilometre stretch of the India-Myanmar border located within Manipur.
The central government is actively pursuing the construction of border fencing, with approximately 55 kilometres completed to date. Officials aim to finalize the project by 2028, though progress is hampered by the difficult, mountainous terrain and interference from militant organizations that frequently use the border to navigate between the two countries. Security remains a top priority as authorities struggle to contain the violence while simultaneously securing the international boundary.
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