Civil society organisations demand an NIA probe and the removal of alleged Kuki militants following the killing of four civilians in Ukhrul.
Tangkhul Naga civil society organisations have given the Manipur and Central governments a three-day deadline to address security concerns following a fatal ambush on National Highway 202. According to a joint statement from the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) and the Tangkhul Naga Foothills Organisation (TNFO), the groups want an investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the midday attack at New Haven on November 13.
The ambush, which occurred near a Border Security Force (BSF) outpost, resulted in the deaths of four Tangkhul Naga civilians. The deceased were identified as Haoleila RS and her son, Kapangkhui RS, as well as siblings Tychicus Ngalung and V R Tanmila. The TNL and TNFO held the State and Central governments responsible for the security lapse and demanded the withdrawal of central security forces from the New Haven site.
The organisations warned that the public will launch an indefinite agitation if their demands are not met by November 16. The bereaved families have decided not to claim the bodies until these demands are addressed. The TNL stated that their restraint is not weakness and cited a pattern of escalating violence in Ukhrul and Kamjong districts.
The incident follows a period of intense ethnic conflict in Manipur that began in May 2023. The Pioneer reported that at least 306 people have died in the wider ethnic clashes, while at least 50 people have been killed in Kuki-Naga clashes in the hills since February.
