United Naga Council seeks Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen’s removal amid fresh violence

The United Naga Council (UNC) has demanded the removal of Manipur deputy chief minister Nemcha Kipgen and the arrest of her husband, Thangboi Kipgen, during tripartite talks with the Centre and the Manipur government, as fresh violence left two Naga civilians dead in the state on Saturday.

The Naga apex body also called for the suspension of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki insurgent groups and sought the declaration of Thangboi Kipgen's outfit, the Kuki National Front (KNF), as a terrorist organisation.

The demands were raised at a meeting in Assam focused on peace-building measures between the Naga and Kuki communities and the prevailing law and order situation in Manipur. The talks were held at the BSF Frontier Headquarters in Garbhanga, Assam.

UNC suspends economic blockade after talks

The UNC submitted a charter of demands during the meeting and subsequently announced the suspension of its ongoing economic blockade in Manipur from 6 pm on September 26.

“Upon the agreement arrived at in the tripartite talks, the council hereby announces the suspension of the ongoing economic blockade with effect from 6 pm of September 26, 2026,” UNC president Ng Lorho said.

The blockade had been in place for months over the abduction and killing of six Naga civilians. It had been intensified from September 9 to cover several national highways, disrupting the movement of essential goods into different parts of the state.

The latest talks marked the first tripartite engagement involving the Centre, the Manipur government and the UNC on the issue. The Naga body had earlier held discussions with state authorities but had continued its blockade while pressing for action on its demands.

The UNC's demands include revocation of the SoO arrangements with Kuki armed groups, action against those accused in the killing of the six Naga civilians and the removal of Nemcha Kipgen.

The Centre told the UNC that the SoO agreement had expired on September 4 and had not been extended, according to The Sangai Express. Officials also assured the Naga representatives of assistance to the families of the six slain men, including ex-gratia payments and support for their children and next of kin.

Demands include action against KNF chief

People familiar with the discussions said the UNC accused Thangboi Kipgen, chairman of the presidential faction of the Kuki National Front, of orchestrating attacks against Naga people since February, when fresh Naga-Kuki clashes began in Manipur.

The Naga delegation demanded his arrest and the designation of his organisation as a terrorist group. It also sought the arrest of a suspended Kuki police officer whom it alleges was involved in the killing of the six abducted Naga civilians.

The UNC had earlier identified four principal demands: revocation of the SoO arrangements with Kuki armed groups, prosecution of those responsible for the abduction and killing of the six Nagas, declaring the KNF(P) a terrorist organisation and removing Nemcha Kipgen from the deputy chief minister's post.

The meeting was attended by Manipur security adviser and unified command chief Kuldiep Singh, North East interlocutor Ajit Lal, Commissioner (Home) N Ashok Kumar and additional director Dorjee Lhatoo.

Two Naga civilians killed in fresh attack

Hours after the talks, two Naga civilians were killed by unknown armed men at Kailenjang village in Manipur's Senapati district, police said.

The incident took place at around 2.45 pm at the home of the village chief. The victims were identified as Rocky from Mao Chaowainamai village and Kumar from Poumai Laii Shirafii, both in Senapati district. Other villagers injured in the attack were taken to a nearby health centre.

A senior police officer said the identities of those behind the attack had not yet been established and an investigation had been launched.

The killings came a day after four Tangkhul Naga civilians were killed at Pilong village in neighbouring Kamjong district, near the India-Myanmar border. Reports said the victims were killed by armed individuals, although the perpetrators have not been conclusively established.

The two latest deaths have added to tensions in Naga-inhabited areas even as the UNC has temporarily suspended its blockade following the tripartite discussions.

SoO camps and peace-building remain key issues

The Centre and Manipur government have indicated that the location and functioning of SoO camps remain part of efforts to contain further violence. The Centre reiterated that a previous decision not to locate such camps near Naga- or Meitei-inhabited areas remains in force.

The Manipur government has also proposed rationalising SoO camps, including the merger and relocation of some camps and tighter enforcement of the arrangements, according to reports following the Guwahati talks.

The developments come as authorities and community organisations continue efforts to address the prolonged conflict in Manipur, where violence between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities since May 2023 has also affected other ethnic groups, including Nagas. The latest Naga-Kuki tensions have added another layer to the state's already complex security situation.