Key facts
- Fresh violence erupted in Manipur's Kamjong district on Thursday.
- Six houses were set on fire in Kultuk, a Kuki village.
- Two people were killed in the incident.
- An office of the Naga People's Front was set ablaze in Senapati district.
- The bodies of six abducted villagers were recovered from a forested area.
- A shutdown was called in Naga-inhabited areas in protest against the killings.
Fresh violence erupted in Manipur's Kamjong district on Thursday, with unidentified individuals burning six houses in the Kuki village of Kultuk and killing two people. The incident occurred amid escalating tensions and grief following the recovery of the mutilated bodies of six villagers who had been held hostage.
On Wednesday night, an office belonging to the Naga People's Front (NPF) in Senapati district was also set ablaze. This act of vandalism followed the discovery of the bodies of six individuals, abducted on May 13, in a forested area near Kharam Vaiphei village. Security forces had to deploy tear gas to manage crowds gathered outside the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal, where the bodies were taken.
The UNC, an apex body representing the Naga community, has called for a 24-hour shutdown from June 11 to June 12 in protest against the killings. The shutdown significantly impacted normal life across Naga-inhabited regions, with businesses and public services ceasing operations. The UNC has stated that the bodies will not be claimed until their four-point demands are met, including the abrogation of the suspension of operations agreement with Kuki militant groups and the prosecution of alleged perpetrators.
Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh has indicated that cases related to the abduction and killing of the Naga villagers, as well as the killing of three church leaders, have been transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for a thorough investigation. The recovery of the Naga villagers' bodies came shortly after 14 Kuki hostages were released on Tuesday, having been held captive for nearly four weeks. Approximately 50 individuals from both the Kuki and Naga communities were reportedly held hostage by various armed groups in Kangpokpi and Senapati districts.