Tensions prevailed in Manipur's Ukhrul and Kamjong districts on Monday as several Naga organisations demanded a thorough and transparent inquiry into the killing of four cadres of NSCN-IM.
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IMPHAL — Tensions prevailed in Manipur's Ukhrul and Kamjong districts on Monday as several Naga organisations demanded a thorough and transparent inquiry into the killing of four cadres belonging to a faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM).
In a suspected fratricidal clash, four cadres of the NSCN-IM-Eastern Flank faction were allegedly gunned down by a rival faction at Hongbei village in Kamjong district on Saturday, triggering unrest there as well as in neighbouring Ukhrul district.
According to a police official, six cadres of the group were ambushed by rival members, resulting in the deaths of four, while two others managed to escape. Tensions escalated on Sunday morning after the bodies were recovered. In a retaliatory outburst, an angry mob torched the NSCN-IM’s Wung regional office in Ukhrul district. However, no casualties were reported in the arson.
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Condemning the killings, Naga students organisations and civil society groups, including the Tangkhul Naga Long and the Kaishan Students’ Union, expressed deep shock and sorrow. They described the incident as particularly alarming at a time when the Naga community faces multiple challenges. The organisations have called for a transparent investigation to ensure justice for the victims and their families.
Amid lingering uncertainty over the circumstances of the killings, local media reported that the families of the deceased have refused to conduct last rites until a full and credible explanation is provided.
Appealing for calm, Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh urged the Tangkhul Naga community in Ukhrul to help restore peace and maintain law and order. "The Ukhrul district has witnessed violence on Sunday, and the situation remains tense," a statement from the Chief Minister’s Secretariat said.
Expressing sorrow over the incident, Khemchand Singh emphasised that violence cannot provide solutions and urged all groups to refrain from further escalation. He assured that the government is taking the matter seriously and that the law will take its course.