Local residents allege NSCN-IM and ZUF-Kamson involvement as attacks on unarmed villagers continue
By: Nengcha Haokip, On June 9, 2026
Farmer Haogin was shot dead today while working in his field at Lasan village, Kangpokpi district. According to local residents, armed cadres allegedly belonging to NSCN-IM and ZUF-Kamson carried out the killing. Haogin’s death marks the fourth killing of a Kuki civilian reported in Kangpokpi and Ukhrul districts this year, deepening fear among civilians.
Villagers said unarmed residents continue to bear the brunt of ongoing violence. “We go to our fields and don’t know if we will return,” one Lasan resident told reporters, requesting anonymity. Civil society groups in Kangpokpi have demanded immediate security deployment and a time-bound investigation, urging authorities to protect vulnerable hill villages during the cultivation season.
Residents cited a pattern of recent attacks they attribute to the same groups. On May 13, three Kuki pastors were allegedly killed in a firing incident. Earlier this year, two Kuki men from Thawai Kuki village were reportedly shot dead, and a pregnant woman, her husband, and another civilian were also killed in a separate attack. Police have not yet confirmed the perpetrators in those cases, and investigations are ongoing. Local organizations allege that NSCN-IM and ZUF-Kamson cadres were involved, though no charges have been publicly filed.
Many residents link the current tensions to the legacy of the 1993 Kuki-Naga conflict. Community organizations and researchers say the violence in 1993-1997 led to large-scale displacement and civilian deaths. Kuki groups state that more than 1,100 Kuki civilians were killed during that period, including women, children, and elderly persons, and cite allegations of sexual violence and torture. Official records on casualties differ, and the figures remain contested. The conflict continues to shape mistrust between communities in the hill areas.
Kuki civil bodies argue that the Centre’s 1997 ceasefire agreement with NSCN-IM has created security gaps. They allege that the terms of the ceasefire restrict large-scale operations against NSCN-IM cadres and that designated camps have not prevented armed movement in some hill areas. Critics claim this allows the group to “move freely with arms and power” in parts of Manipur, contributing to civilian insecurity. The Ministry of Home Affairs maintains that the ceasefire applies only to specific areas and that unlawful activities are liable for action. NSCN-IM has denied involvement in attacks on civilians.
