KAMJONG: Two members of a Tangkhul Naga family were among nine confirmed and identified victims of the communal violence that erupted in Manipur late Friday night, according to sources.
The two victims have been identified as Leishisan Hungyo and his nephew, Ngachanso Ningshen, both from Ningchou village in Kamjong district. Leishisan is survived by his wife and four children, while Ngachanso leaves behind his wife and two young children.
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According to villagers, the two were killed in an alleged ambush attack on the village by suspected Kuki militants at around 8.30 am on Saturday. The circumstances surrounding the incident have not been independently verified.
The mortal remains of the deceased were reportedly taken to Kamjong District Hospital for post-mortem examination. Sources said the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) is expected to organise a funeral programme on Sunday before the bodies are taken to their native village for the final rites.
Ningchou is a Tangkhul Naga village in Kamjong district, located around 10 km from the Indo-Myanmar border. It shares a border with Phaikoh, a Kuki village. The surrounding area has settlements belonging to both Naga and Kuki communities, making it vulnerable amid the ongoing communal tensions.
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In today’s confrontation, reliable sources stated, though officially unverified, that another two Kukis were killed and their weapons recovered. Sources also added that three Tangkhul Nagas sustained minor injuries in the confrontation.
The other identified victims include Domkhonei Touthang, wife of Lallenmung Touthang, and Michael Ngamminlen Haokip from Chassad village; Sandeep Rai, a member of the Gorkha Nepali community who was reportedly killed at Chepu Yaolen; and four Liangmai Nagas identified as Machungamang Daimai, a Naga village guard who was reportedly killed in an ambush at Tapon village; Dibambou Ringkangmai, 48, of Makui village; Ajinbou R. Ringkangmai, 52, of Makui village; and Ramningpou Gangmei, 53, of Luangchum village in Tamenglong district.
In a particularly disturbing account, sources alleged that Ajinpou Ringkangmai was killed by suspected Kuki militants and beheaded. He was the younger brother of the Makui Chairman. The allegation could not be independently verified at the time of filing this report.
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Meanwhile, the TNL Working Committee said the Kuki National Army–Burma (KNA-B) and the Village Volunteer of Eastern Zone (VVEZ) carried out an alleged coordinated ambush on civilians at Ningchou village in Kamjong district on Saturday morning, killing two civilians identified as Ngachanso Ningshen and Leishisan Leishadang.
According to the TNL statement dated October 10, nine residential houses were set ablaze at Kamjong headquarters following an armed confrontation involving Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) personnel and suspected Kuki militants.
The TNL said an IRB patrol was fired upon near Chassad Kuki village on Friday night. When security personnel attempted to apprehend the assailants, a crowd allegedly obstructed them, leading to an exchange of fire that lasted more than an hour. A woman described in the statement as aiding the armed group was caught in the crossfire and later succumbed to her injuries.
The statement further said Naga civil defence volunteers retaliated against the advancing armed group. Two volunteers, BS Honreipam of Ningthi and Ringphami Jajo of Ningchou, sustained gunshot injuries.
Condemning the attacks, the TNL Working Committee urged the state and central governments to order a high-level inquiry and ensure the safety and security of people living along the porous Indo-Myanmar border in Kamjong district.
