More than 30 houses belonging to members of the Kuki-Zo community have reportedly been torched in Chassad village in Manipur’s Kamjong district since Saturday, forcing residents to flee as tensions escalate in the violence-hit northeastern state. The fresh flare-up comes amid continuing ethnic strife in Manipur, where clashes between communities have repeatedly displaced villagers.
The situation in Kamjong, particularly in Chassad, worsened after Seikhohao Haokip, a resident of the village, was killed and four others were injured in an attack on Saturday. According to reports, a group of Kuki-Zo men repairing electricity infrastructure about 60 metres from Chassad police station came under fire around 2 pm. The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) said four Kuki-Zo civilians had been killed in the district in just over a week.
In a related development, IPS officer Jay Barange has been appointed the district’s new superintendent of police, replacing Manipur Police Service officer Tholu Rocky, who had been serving as SP (in-charge).
In a media release issued on Sunday, the Kuki CSO Working Committee, Kamjong district, said the situation escalated further around 5.30 pm on Saturday, with sustained heavy firing and alleged bomb attacks. The committee blamed armed elements associated with Naga militant groups for the violence. “The attacks forced villagers — including elderly persons, women, children and other vulnerable residents — to flee repeatedly for safety,” the committee said. It urged the government to establish the circumstances surrounding Haokip’s death, including the source of the fatal gunfire, through an independent, time-bound investigation.
The KZC, meanwhile, said allegations of NSCN-IM involvement in Saturday’s violence warranted an impartial probe. “The incident was followed by renewed attacks that reportedly burnt more than 30 houses, forcing residents to flee,” the council said in a statement issued on Sunday. “KZC questions why NSCN-IM cadres are reportedly allowed to operate freely in Kamjong, Ukhrul and Chandel districts, despite the ceasefire arrangement being understood to apply to Nagaland,” the statement added.
The council also alleged that an “economic embargo” was preventing Kuki-Zo civilians in Kamjong from purchasing essential commodities. It demanded uninterrupted access to essential supplies and the immediate deployment of Central security forces between the police station and Chassad village to ensure civilian safety.
“The repeated killings and destruction of Kuki-Zo homes raise grave concerns that the community is being driven out of its ancestral land. KZC urges both the Governments of India and Manipur to ensure civilian protection, hold those responsible accountable, provide ex-gratia assistance to the bereaved families, and compensate those whose houses have been burnt,” it said.
Original Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/over-30-kuki-zo-homes-torched-in-manipurs-kamjong-villagers-forced-to-flee/articleshow/135033743.cms
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Publish Date: 2026-10-18 23:38:00
