Manipur violence: Four killed in armed attack in Kamjong, Naga body calls 24-hour shutdown

Four villagers were killed after unidentified armed men allegedly opened fire in Manipur’s Kamjong district on Thursday, triggering fresh tension in the border area and prompting a Tangkhul Naga body to call a 24-hour shutdown.

The incident took place around 4 pm at Pilong village, near Indo-Myanmar border pillar number 95, officials said.

Four villagers killed in firing

According to police, the attackers entered the village and opened fire on residents. An official statement said the assailants were suspected to be members of a Myanmar-based militant group.

“Some unidentified armed persons suspected to be a rebel group of Myanmar base militant (KNA(B) holding sophisticated persons entered Pilong village along with the Indo-Myanmar and opened fire upon the villagers.”

The four victims were identified in the police statement as Phami Jajo, 43, of Kangpat Khullen; Ningthem Kashak, 35, of Zingsui; Betterson Jajo, 50, of Kangpat Khhunou; and Vareshim Jajo, 67, of Kangpat Khullen.

“During the incident, four villagers Phami Jajo (43) of Kangpat Khullen, Ningthem Kashak (35) of Zingsui, Betterson Jajo (50) of Kangpat Khhunou and Vareshim Jajo (67) of Kangpat Khullen were killed at the spot. In connection with the incident a sou-moto case has been registered under section 329 (3) (criminal trespass, kidnapping section 137(2) murder by group of five or more on specific ground section 103 (2), criminal intimidation section 351, unlawful activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 and arms Act, 1959 section 25(1)(C) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023”, the statement said.

Police recovered the bodies and conducted post-mortems at Kamjong district hospital.

Probe underway, KNA-B involvement unverified

Police said they are investigating the attack and trying to establish who was behind it. Unverified reports have pointed to the Kuki National Army-Burma (KNA-B) faction.

The identities of the victims were reported by locals, though officials said they could not independently verify the identities.

Kamjong borders Myanmar and has a predominantly Tangkhul Naga population.

Tangkhul Naga body announces shutdown

The Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) announced a 24-hour emergency shutdown from 7 am on Friday until 7 am on Saturday.

In a statement signed by secretary Thanreingam Muivah, the organisation said the shutdown would be observed across its jurisdiction to protest the killings.

The TNL accused the KNA-B faction and what it described as Kuki Narco-terrorists of carrying out the attack.

The latest incident comes amid tensions between Naga and Kuki communities in the region, against the backdrop of the wider ethnic violence that began in Manipur in 2023 between the Meitei and Kuki communities.