Key facts
- Six Naga men abducted on May 13 were found dead in Manipur.
- The United Naga Council called for a 24-hour shutdown and presented demands for justice.
- Two people were killed and two injured in an attack on seven houses in Kamjong district.
- The Manipur government has transferred the investigation to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
At least two people from the Kuki community were killed in attacks by armed men in India's Manipur state on Thursday, two senior police officers said. The violence occurred a day after authorities recovered the bodies of six Naga men who were abducted on May 13. The two communities have a history of conflict over ethnic homelands, with recent fighting escalating after an alleged assault in February and the killing of three Kuki pastors in May, which triggered retaliatory abductions.
Seven houses were torched in Thursday's attack, which also injured two people. A Kuki civil organisation in Kamjong district, where the violence occurred, stated the victims were community leaders involved with the church. Police have not identified the perpetrators but described the situation as "tense and volatile." The United Naga Council had previously announced a 24-hour shutdown following the recovery of the six abducted Naga men, demanding justice and the abrogation of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki militant groups. The Manipur government has handed over the investigation to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).