UKHRUL: Reports of early morning gunfire in the Ringui–Horei belt triggered fresh tensions in Ukhrul district on Monday, with Naga and Kuki groups presenting differing accounts of the incident.
The Ringui Village Protection Committee (RVPC) said armed Kuki groups carried out “repeated and unprovoked attacks” under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) framework. It claimed that firing broke out around 4:40 am at Horei hills and Hamsan when members of the Naga Village Guard (NVG) were on routine duty. Several guards were reportedly injured, while firing was said to be continuing at the time of the statement.
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The RVPC further alleged that armed cadres had been stationed in bunkers in and around the area and accused them of launching repeated assaults on villagers. It called for immediate intervention and legal action against those responsible.
In a separate statement, the Working Committee of the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) linked the incident to recent combing operations by central security forces. It questioned why such operations were followed by attacks on Naga Village Guards and alleged that security forces had failed to act against the perpetrators. The committee also claimed that NVG members had only responded in self-defence.
However, the Kuki CSO Working Committee, Ukhrul, put forward a different version, accusing NSCN-Eastern Flank (EF) cadres of initiating the violence. It said the incident began around 3:00 am when armed cadres attempted to enter Kuki-inhabited areas through the Tongou sector near the Kampa range.
According to the Kuki WC, left one volunteer critically injured and that the intrusion triggered an exchange of fire after Kuki village volunteers retaliated. It reported that one volunteer sustained critical injuries in the incident.
The Kuki WC also raised concerns over what it described as a pattern of incursions and called for a large-scale combing operation in the Tongou–Ringui belt to prevent further escalation.
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With both sides blaming each other, there has been no official confirmation so far from security forces or the state government on the sequence of events.
As per reliable sources, at least five Tangkhul volunteers were injured in Monday morning episode.
The situation remains tense in the area at the time of filing this report.
