By St. Ginth Haokip, Kukiland Express Desk
Songpi, May 7, 2026
Tangkhul (Kacha-Naga) villages Choro, Namlee, and Wanglee in Ukhrul district came under attack on May 7, just two days after Lanchah Kuki village in neighboring Kamjong district was burnt down on May 5. The timing and proximity of the two incidents have drawn immediate attention from local residents and security observers monitoring the volatile Kamjong-Ukhrul belt.
Local sources and village representatives said the May 7 incidents are being widely viewed as retaliation for the destruction of Lanchah village earlier this week. Preliminary reports indicate that some persons were injured in the attacks, though no deaths had been officially reported at the time of filing. The full extent of property damage in Choro, Namlee, and Wanglee is still being assessed as villagers take stock of the situation on the ground.
The burning of Lanchah village on May 5 had been strongly condemned by the Kuki Inpi Manipur, which described it as a “grave and deliberate escalation” in its press statement issued from Lamka. The apex tribal body listed the Lanchah incident alongside previous attacks on Gampal and Haijang villages, noting what it called a pattern of targeted aggression against Kuki settlements in the hill districts over recent months.
In response to the back-to-back incidents, security deployment across the Kamjong-Ukhrul belt has been stepped up to prevent further flare-ups and to maintain law and order. As of Wednesday evening, district officials had not issued a formal statement regarding the May 7 attacks. Meanwhile, village volunteers from both communities are reportedly on high alert amid heightened tensions, with community leaders urging restraint to avoid a wider cycle of violence.
