Manipur: 9 Killed in 24 Hours as Kuki-Naga Violence Flares in Hill Districtsਮਣੀਪੁਰ: 24 ਘੰਟਿਆਂ ਵਿੱਚ 9 ਮੌਤਾਂ, ਪਹਾੜੀ ਜ਼ਿਲ੍ਹਿਆਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਕੁਕੀ-ਨਾਗਾ ਹਿੰਸਾ ਮੁੜ ਭੜਕੀ

At least nine people were killed and about 14 houses were set on fire in 24 hours of fresh Kuki-Naga violence across three hill districts of Manipur, officials said on Saturday, 10 October 2026. The Times of India described it as one of the deadliest outbreaks in the state in the past year. A Kuki body has called a 24-hour shutdown in Kangpokpi district, and prohibitory orders are in force near a police station in Kamjong.

What happened in Manipur?

The violence began on Friday night at Chassad village in Kamjong district. According to police, a joint team of Manipur Police, the India Reserve Battalion and the Border Security Force was dismantling alleged illegal bunkers when local women tried to obstruct the drive. Unknown assailants then opened fire and the security personnel retaliated. Domkhonei Touthang, a 42-year-old Kuki woman and mother of five, was killed. Houses were set on fire overnight, and gunfire resumed on Saturday morning.

Where were the other killings?

Two Naga village guards were killed at Ningchou Chingdong village in Kamjong district on Saturday morning. In Kangpokpi district, Naga village volunteers were attacked near Makui and Tapon villages along the Imphal-Tamenglong road, and officials and village bodies reported several deaths there. In Ukhrul district, a 30-year-old commuter, Sandeep Rai, was shot dead in an ambush on National Highway 202. Police have registered cases, but the motive and the attackers remain unknown. Kuki and Naga civil society groups blame armed groups from the other community, and one Kuki body also blamed state forces; these claims have not been independently verified.

What have authorities done?

The Kamjong district magistrate banned gatherings within 400 metres of Chassad police station. The Committee on Tribal Unity, a Kuki body, announced a 24-hour total shutdown across Kangpokpi district from 6 pm on Saturday, which brought commercial activity there to a standstill. Police dismissed social media claims that the Kamjong police station had been burnt, saying only an attempt was made to set fire to its entrance area.

What did the Centre say?

As the violence unfolded, Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. He briefed Modi on steps to restore normalcy, including the resumption of Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati bus services and goods trucks on NH-37 and NH-2. Modi assured the state of all possible assistance in restoring peace, the Indian Express reported.

Why does this matter?

The Times of India reports that at least 22 Nagas and 31 Kukis have been killed since the Naga-Kuki clashes began in February. Manipur has seen ethnic violence for years, and this flare-up is the latest sign that tension between the two hill communities is deepening. Many Punjabis serve in the army and paramilitary forces and work across the country, so events in India's northeast are followed closely in Punjab too.

How many people were killed in the Manipur violence?

At least nine people were killed in 24 hours across Kamjong, Kangpokpi and Ukhrul districts, according to officials quoted by Hindustan Times, the Indian Express and India Today. Some reports have put the toll at ten.

What is the Kangpokpi shutdown?

The Committee on Tribal Unity called a 24-hour total shutdown across Kangpokpi district from 6 pm on Saturday after attacks in Chassad, Yaolen and along the IT Road.

Did the Prime Minister respond?

Chief Minister Khemchand Singh met Modi in Delhi on Saturday, and Modi assured all possible assistance to restore peace and normalcy.