Day after ambush, shutdown in Manipur’s Naga areas

A day after alleged Kuki extremist groups ambushed and killed four Liangmai Naga civilians, Manipur’s Naga-inhabited areas observed a shutdown on Friday (August 28, 2026).

The four were gunned down on a village road between Makui Ashang and Thanamba Naga villages in the Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district on Thursday morning (August 27, 2026). They were travelling from Makui village to Senapati when they came under attack.

A fifth person, injured in the attack, was admitted to a hospital in Senapati, while a student leader, who was reported missing after the incident, managed to reach safety.

The United Naga Council (UNC), the apex body of Naga organisations in Manipur, called for a one-day "Genna" (a period of strict prohibition, rest, and community worship) across the Naga areas after the incident. Kamjong, Noney, Senapati, Tamenglong, and Ukhrul districts of Manipur had a total shutdown.

“The mortal remains of the four victims reached Senapati for autopsy. Their last rites will be performed after a condolence service in their honour tomorrow (Saturday),” A.C. Thotso, the secretary of the UNC’s Working Committee, said.

Officials in Kangpokpi said the security forces could not retrieve the bodies on Thursday (August 27, 2026) due to a blockade at a village on the way to the site of the ambush. They retrieved the bodies on Friday morning (August 28, 2026) and transported them to Senapati, where a large number of people turned up to pay their homage.

The UNC asked the State government to book the perpetrators and deliver justice at the earliest. It also demanded the constitution of a special investigation team to probe the case.

Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh called for sustained and collective efforts from all sections of society to overcome the prevailing trust deficit between different communities and restore lasting peace in Manipur.

Recalling Manipur’s situation before May 3, 2023, he said he had regularly travelled to the hill areas and witnessed an atmosphere of peace, harmony, and cooperation among communities. The violence that erupted three years ago fundamentally changed the situation in our State,” he said.

“Today, there are people who do not want peace. We have to identify and book them as soon as possible,” Mr. Singh said.

Meanwhile, a bomb exploded at the residence of Bharatiya Janata Party MLA and Manipur government spokesperson Sapam Ranjan Singh on Friday afternoon. No injuries were reported.

The Chief Minister visited the MLA's residence and inspected the blast site. Both condemned the incident.