Imphal: Four Tangkhul Naga civilians, including a father and son, were allegedly killed in an armed attack near the India-Myanmar border in Manipur’s Kamjong district on Thursday, September 24, police and local sources said.
The incident took place at Pilong village, a remote settlement around 35 km from the Kamjong district headquarters. Police said armed assailants were suspected to have crossed from the Myanmar side of the border and attacked the villagers.
A fifth man reportedly escaped from the attack and alerted authorities, following which police, local residents and Assam Rifles personnel moved towards the area to recover the victims.
Four civilians killed in border village
The deceased were identified as Vareishim Jajo, Phami Jajo, Betterson Jajo and Ningthem Kashak.
According to reports, Vareishim Jajo and Phami Jajo were father and son. The victims were from Kangpat Khullen, Kangpat Khunou and Zingsui villages and belonged to the Tangkhul Naga community.
Police and security personnel subsequently recovered the bodies from the remote area and brought them to the Kamjong district headquarters for post-mortem examinations.
The attack occurred near the India-Myanmar border, with reports placing the location between border pillars 91 and 93.
Police suspect attackers came from Myanmar
A senior police officer told Hindustan Times that the attack was likely carried out by armed miscreants who had come from across the Indo-Myanmar border.
Police have not yet officially established who was responsible for the killings. Reports have, however, pointed to possible involvement of the Kuki National Army-Burma (KNA-B) faction. The allegation has not been independently verified.
The attack has heightened security concerns in Kamjong, a district bordering Myanmar and one with a substantial Tangkhul Naga population.
The area has witnessed tensions and violence involving Naga and Kuki groups in recent months.
Naga body alleges KNA-B involvement
The Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) condemned the killings and alleged that suspected KNA-B cadres and other armed Kuki groups were responsible.
The organisation called for a 24-hour emergency shutdown across its jurisdiction from 7 am on September 25 to 7 am on September 26 in protest against the killings.
Essential services, including power, medical and fire services, as well as movement connected with funerals and condolence programmes, were exempted from the shutdown.
The Naga Peoples’ Front state president Awangbou Newmai also condemned the killings and appealed to all communities to shun violence and coexist peacefully.
Security teams recover bodies
The remoteness of Pilong village and its proximity to the international border complicated the immediate response to the attack.
Police teams, assisted by local residents and Assam Rifles personnel, moved into the area to recover the bodies and assist with the investigation.
The incident was first reported after one of the five villagers present at the site managed to escape and alert authorities.
Police are investigating the circumstances of the attack and attempting to establish the identity and whereabouts of those responsible.
Fresh tension in Manipur’s hill districts
The killings come amid continuing security concerns in Manipur’s hill districts.
Kamjong and neighbouring Naga-inhabited areas have witnessed incidents involving armed groups and attacks on civilians in recent months. The latest killings are likely to add to tensions between Naga and Kuki communities, which have already faced several violent incidents this year.
The authorities have not publicly confirmed the identity of the attackers, and allegations against any particular armed group remain subject to investigation.
For now, the focus remains on the post-mortem examinations, investigation into the killings and security measures in the border areas of Kamjong.