Manipur: Elderly Woman, KNO Leader Among Four Killed in Ambush

CHURACHANDPUR-  A deadly ambush in Manipur’s Churachandpur district claimed the lives of four individuals, including a 60-year-old woman, on Monday afternoon, escalating tensions in an already volatile region.

The attack, which occurred around 2 p.m. near Mongjang village, approximately 7 km from Churachandpur town, is suspected to be linked to a factional clash among Kuki insurgent groups, according to police sources.

The victims, identified as Thenkhothang Haokip alias Thahpi (48), Seikhogin (34), Lengouhao (35), and Phalhing (60), were traveling in a white SUV when unidentified gunmen opened fire at close range.

Also Read- Manipur CSOs Delegation Meets MHA Officials in Delhi Over Ongoing Crisis

Preliminary investigations suggest the assailants used sophisticated weapons, with over a dozen 5.56 mm empty shells recovered from the scene.

Thenkhothang Haokip, a senior leader and deputy commander-in-chief of the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and its armed wing, the Kuki National Army (KNA), was among the deceased.

Lengouhao is reported to be the son-in-law of KNO chief PS Haokip.  Phalhing, a bystander from Koite village, was caught in the crossfire and succumbed to her injuries, while another woman was critically injured and is receiving treatment at Churachandpur District Hospital.

Also Read- Massive Eviction Drive in Nalbari: 82 Bighas of Grazing Land Freed from Illegal Encroachers

Police sources indicate that the attack is not connected to the ongoing ethnic tensions between the Meitei and Kuki communities, which have plagued Manipur since May 2023, resulting in over 220 deaths and the displacement of nearly 50,000 people.

Instead, authorities suspect the ambush stems from an inter-group rivalry between Kuki insurgent factions, with the United Kuki National Liberation Army (UKNA), a breakaway group not under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement, claiming responsibility, according to sources.

Also Read- Massive Reactor Blast at Sigachi Industries in Telangana, Claims 12 Lives, Injures Dozens

The KNO/KNA, one of 25 Kuki-Zo groups under the SoO with the Indian government, has been engaged in talks with the Ministry of Home Affairs for a separate administrative setup for tribal areas, adding to the complexity of the region’s insurgent dynamics.

The bodies of the deceased were sent to Churachandpur District Hospital for post-mortem examinations, and forensic evidence has been collected for further investigation. No official police statement has confirmed the exact sequence of events, and the motive remains under investigation.