Manipur Violence Escalates: Three Killed in Twin Firing Incidents in Ukhrul

Key Points

The people of Manipur haven't seen a semblance of peace since the past three years, as ethnic conflict within rival tribal communities— Kukis, Meities, and Nagas— has rendered the state conflict-ridden. Fresh instances of violence have unsettled the already volatile region, as on Friday, 24th April, 2026, three people were killed in separate firing incidents in the Ukhrul district. 

Amongst the three deceased, two belonged to the Kuki-zo community and one from the Tangkhul-Naga community. 

At around 11:25am on Friday morning, police officers recovered two bodies near the Mullam Village. According to the officials, the two deceased— identified as L Sithlou and P Haoloi— wore camouflage uniforms and were riddled with bullet wounds. 

The Bungpi-Ihang Defence Committee said that the two Kuki-zo village volunteers died defending the village from the unprovoked attack. The committee has condemned the violent incident, deeming it a ‘cowardly armed attack’ on peaceful Kuki villages of Mullam.

Earlier the same day, around 5.30 am, armed militants engaged in a heavy exchange of fire at Mullam Village. Some nearby houses also got caught in the crossfire and were set ablaze, officials say.

See also: NSCN-IM cadre killings: Tensions in Manipur's Ukhrul and Kamjong, probe sought into incident

The state has been on high alert since the April 7th Bishnupur attack, where two children— aged 5 years and 3 months— died when a missile struck their home. Meitei groups have orchestrated protests vehemently since, calling for an investigation into the matter and for the immediate arrest of those responsible. Police officials responded by using tear-gas shelling and lathi charges to dispel the crowd. 

In a statement addressing this recent incident, the Mullam Village authority stated that the village came under a ‘full-scale armed attack’ during the early hours of Friday, and that 

‘Tangkhul Naga Militants’ allegedly carried out the attack. As the region and the state both have been embroiled in unrest, this incident didn't raise much of an alarm. The first blank fire shot around 5:30am was ignored at first, However, heavy and indiscriminate firing rang out afterwards and nearby homes caught fire, leaving several people injured. 

The Kuki Women Organization for Human Rights Trust (KWOHR) in a statement said that in an attempt to repulse the attack, villagers exercised their ‘lawful right to self-defence’, and neutralized one of the assailants using licensed hunting weapons. “This is not an isolated incident. It forms part of a disturbing and continuing pattern of aggression by armed Tangkhul elements against indigenous Kuki-Zo communities and constitutes a grave violation of the right to life and the right to live in peace,” the statement said.

In response, the Naga Village Guards (NVG) Central Command refuted any claims of having carried out the attack. In a press conference, they said: “Rather, the Naga Village Guards stationed between Sinakeithei and Sirarakhong, near Mullam, were on a patrol duty this morning, the 24 April, following repeated attacks on Sinakeithei village and reports of constant tactical movement in the peripheries by the Kuki Armed Cadres under Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement.”

See also: Security Ops intensify in Manipur after Kuki militants open fire; illegal bunkers dismantled

In a separate incident, a Tangkhul Naga man, stationed as a village guard, was shot dead at Sinakeithei Village in Ukhrul. Identified as Horshokmi Jamang, the 29-year-old is said to have been killed by Kuki Militants, officials say. Expressing ‘profound sadness’ over the incident, the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL), apex body of the Tangkhul Naga Community, blamed the Kuki-zo militants for the attack, a claim that a spokesperson for the KWOHR denied. 

The working committee of the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) said, “Following constant movement and disruption along Sirarakhong and Sinakeithei by armed Kuki cadres under SoO and other Kuki militant groups, the Naga Village Guards posted near Sirarakhong had gone out for patrol between Sirarakhong and Sinakeithei when they were ambushed by the Kuki cadres under SoO along with other illegal Kuki militants, killing Horshokmi Jamang on the spot.”

The Ukhrul district shares an inter-state border with the state of Nagaland, and an international one with Myanmar. Predominantly inhabited by the Tangkhul Naga Community, Ukhrul comes under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, which allows military and paramilitary forces to maintain public order in areas designated as ‘disturbed’ by the central government. 

Tension had been brewing in the Ukhrul district and neighbouring Kamjong district after suspected militants killed two Tangkhul Naga civilians, including a retired army personnel, in an ambush at a civilian convoy at TM Kasom in Ukhrul district on April 18, 2026. 

These twin incidents have underscored the volatile and fragile security situation in the state of Manipur. Sporadic clashes and  targeted attacks continue to spark tension between rival communities. 

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