Normal life was disrupted in Senapati during a 12-hour shutdown called by the NPO to protest the killing of three Naga civilians at Kailenjang and demand justice.
IMPHAL — Normal life was severely affected in Manipur’s Senapati district on Monday as a 12-hour total shutdown was observed from 6 am to 6 pm in protest against the killing of three Naga civilians and the demand for justice.
The shutdown was called by the Senapati-based Naga People’s Organisation (NPO) as a mark of mourning for the deceased and in protest against the incident.
Business establishments, government and private offices, and transport services remained closed, while traffic movement, including military convoys, was also affected.
Residents said markets, shopping areas and parking sites in Senapati town, which has a population of more than one lakh, wore a deserted look from early morning. Local, inter-district and inter-state transport services remained suspended throughout the day.
No untoward incident was reported during the shutdown.
Senapati district headquarters is located around 60 km north of Imphal.
On September 26, two Naga civilians were killed and two others injured in a shooting incident involving unidentified armed persons at Kailenjang village in Senapati district. One of the injured succumbed to his injuries on September 27, bringing the death toll to three. The other injured person remains under treatment.
In a statement, the NPO appealed to the people of Senapati to extend their cooperation and support to the shutdown, reiterating its demand for justice for the three deceased civilians and the injured survivor.
The organisation alleged that the Kailenjang attack was carried out by armed Kuki elements and demanded that those responsible be prosecuted according to law. The allegation could not be independently verified.
Meanwhile, the Naga Women’s Union (NWU), in a statement issued on Monday, said four civilians were killed at Pilong in Kamjong district near the India-Myanmar border on September 24, followed by the killing of three other civilians between Kangpokpi and Senapati on September 26.
The NWU said the latter incident occurred shortly after the tripartite talks involving the United Naga Council (UNC), the Manipur government and the Centre in Guwahati on September 26.
It also noted that the incident took place around the time of the arrival of the Manipur Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister in Senapati district.
The NWU alleged that the crisis had been compounded by governance failures and inadequate accountability.
It referred to the alleged abduction of 21 Naga civilians from Shangkai Kuki village on March 11, 2026, the alleged hostage-taking of 18 civilians, including women and a child, on May 13, as well as killings involving mutilation and other alleged abuses against civilians.
“If the government had seriously and befittingly dealt with the perpetrators, things might have been controlled,” the NWU said.
The organisation urged the Centre and the state government to develop mechanisms to address the threat of insurgency in Manipur, the Northeast and the country.
It also called for a durable political process to address underlying issues concerning land, resources, territorial claims, governance and the rights of indigenous peoples.
The NWU further demanded a credible and impartial investigation into possible external or cross-border interference, illicit support flows, arms networks, trafficking routes and other transnational factors that may be contributing to the continuation of the conflict.