Elder Letminlun Haokip and Lunminthang Haokip dead in alleged NSCN-IM attack on Kamjong village; Haokhogin Lhouvum killed June 9 in Lasan; Kuki groups put 2026 toll at 12
By St. Ginth Haokip
Songpi, June 11, 2026
Kultuh, a Kuki village in Kamjong district, was reportedly set ablaze in the early hours of today, leaving two community leaders dead and multiple homes reduced to ashes. The incident has triggered fresh displacement in the hill areas, with families fleeing into nearby forests and adjoining villages for safety.
Local sources identified the deceased as Elder Letminlun Haokip, Head Deacon of Kuki Baptist Church Kultuh, and Lunminthang Haokip, President of the Kultuh Youth Club. Residents alleged that cadres of NSCN-IM and NSCN-(EF), led by members of the Tangkhul community, entered the village and opened fire before setting houses on fire. The attack reportedly destroyed residential structures and property, disrupting the village during the critical monsoon farming period.
In a separate incident on June 9, Haokhogin Lhouvum, 55, a Kuki farmer from Lasan village in Tamenglong district, was reportedly shot dead while working in a paddy field along the Imphal-Tamenglong road. Police said a case has been registered and investigation is underway. Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills alleged Louvum was killed by the NSCN-IM Kamson group, while Kuki Inpi Manipur condemned the killing as a “cold-blooded murder of an innocent civilian”. The killing prompted major Kuki civil society organisations to announce a total shutdown across Kangpokpi district from midnight of June 10.
Witnesses from Kultuh said women, children, and elderly residents were forced to abandon the village as flames spread through the settlement. Community representatives are documenting losses and seeking immediate shelter and medical aid for those affected.
Kuki civil society groups said the death toll of Kukis allegedly at the hands of NSCN-IM, ZUF-Kamson and NSCN-(EF) has risen to 12 in 2026 alone. Authorities in Kamjong district have not yet issued an official statement on either incident or on the allegations. Security forces are reportedly assessing the situation as local bodies call for an impartial probe into the killings and arson.
