Fresh violence in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district left three members of the Kuki community injured on Monday, including an 18-year-old footballer associated with the U-18 team of Mohun Bagan Super Giant, as a gunfight erupted between rival armed groups in the state’s volatile hill region.
The exchange of fire took place early Monday morning near the border between Leilon Vaiphei, a Kuki village, and Konsakhul, a Naga village, in Kangpokpi district. According to officials, armed groups engaged in a shootout around 6 am, escalating tensions in an area already affected by ethnic conflict and recent incidents of violence.
The injured have been identified as Lunliandan Vaiphei (20), Genzamang Vaiphei (18), and Paogoulal Chongloi (18). Community leaders claimed that Chongloi is a footballer who has represented Mohun Bagan’s youth setup.
Local residents from Konsakhul alleged that villagers working in paddy fields near the disputed border area came under fire from armed men. The incident was reportedly communicated to members of the Naga Village Guard (NVG), who responded, leading to a gun battle between the groups.
Security personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) quickly moved into the area and brought the situation under control within approximately 40 minutes. The three injured youths were first taken to the military hospital at Leimakhong for emergency treatment before being transferred to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal under heavy security.
The arrival of the injured men at the hospital sparked fresh unrest. Groups of protesters gathered on the RIMS campus, alleging that the injured individuals were militants and questioning the level of security being provided to them. Demonstrators also raised concerns about the safety of civilians travelling through conflict-prone areas of Kangpokpi district.
As the crowd grew and tensions escalated, security forces intervened to prevent protesters from entering hospital premises. Officials said tear gas shells were fired and a baton charge was carried out after some protesters allegedly attempted to force their way into the casualty block. The confrontation created panic among patients, medical staff, and attendants within the hospital complex.
Authorities have since reinforced security around the hospital and in surrounding areas, while closely monitoring the situation to prevent further escalation.
The incident comes amid deteriorating relations between Kuki and Naga groups in parts of Manipur. It follows recent reports of violence linked to the discovery of six bodies of Naga hostages who were allegedly abducted and killed by Kuki militants last month, according to officials.
Manipur has remained deeply divided since ethnic clashes erupted in May 2023 between the Meitei and Kuki communities. The violence triggered one of the state’s worst humanitarian and security crises, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people, the displacement of approximately 60,000 residents, and the emergence of sharply divided ethnic enclaves.
Although a popularly elected government returned to power earlier this year following the end of President’s Rule, security challenges continue to persist. Since May, tensions between Naga and Kuki groups have intensified, with multiple ambushes and attacks claiming several civilian lives.
Meanwhile, the Kuki Zo Council (KZC), an umbrella organisation representing Kuki-Zo groups, condemned the latest incident and blamed armed factions linked to Naga insurgent organisations. The council also renewed its demand for a separate administrative arrangement for Kuki-Zo areas, urging the central government to address long-standing political grievances as a means of achieving lasting peace in the region.
The latest gunfight highlights the fragile security situation in Manipur, where ethnic divisions, insurgent activity, and competing territorial claims continue to fuel periodic outbreaks of violence despite ongoing efforts to restore stability.
