Three Kuki men killed in Manipur gunfire exchange
Thousands of people held a rally in Imphal demanding the scrapping of the Suspension of Operations agreement.
Three Kuki men were killed during an exchange of gunfire between unidentified armed groups in Manipur’s Noney district on Saturday. The incident occurred around 10am at Kekru Naga village, according to officials.
Police identified the deceased as Thanglensang Singson, Thangkhosei Haokip, and Lamminsang Kipgen, all from Churachandpur district. Security forces have been deployed in the area following the shooting.
At the site, police recovered ammunition, improvised explosives, a drone, a single-barrel rifle, and four automatic assault rifles. Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) accused the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM) and the Zeliangrong United Front-Kamson (ZUF-K) of the killings, stating the men were village volunteers.
In Imphal, a large rally was organised by Meitei and Naga organisations, including the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) and the United Naga Council (UNC). The participants demanded the scrapping of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement and the replacement of the Assam Rifles at the India-Myanmar border.
The rally concluded at the Thangmeiband Athletic Union ground, where a six-point resolution was adopted. The groups also called for the implementation of the National Register of Citizens with 1951 as the base year and the removal of Deputy CM Nemcha Kipgen.
Meanwhile, the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) held a parallel rally in Kangpokpi and extended a district-wide shutdown by 24 hours.