Kangpokpi: Lasan and Songpibung Kuki villages along the IT Road in Kangpokpi district came under heavy attack in the early hours of Wednesday, killing one electric lineman and taking the Kuki death toll to 28 in 2026 alone, according to Kuki organizations.
The deceased has been identified as Paojangam Chongloi, 36, from Wakotphai Village, who was working as an electric lineman. According to local sources, the attack began at around 4:00 AM with heavy firing reported in and around Lasan and Songpibung. Chongloi was reportedly travelling towards Lasan to repair damaged power lines when he was caught in the firing and sustained fatal injuries. Kuki groups claim he is the 28th Kuki killed this year alone.
Local Kuki organizations have alleged that the attack was carried out by cadres of NSCN-IM and ZUF-K, and have further alleged that the groups are operating with backing from the Government of India. These allegations have not been independently verified and no official confirmation has been issued by security agencies or the government. The total death figure of 28 is also based on claims by Kuki bodies and is yet to be officially confirmed.
According to a statement issued by local Kuki village authorities, the attackers were heavily armed and fired indiscriminately towards the villages. The statement further alleged that the continued presence and movement of these groups in the area is possible due to sponsorship and protection from central agencies, an allegation that Kuki civil bodies have repeatedly raised in recent weeks. Security forces have stated that they are verifying the identities of the perpetrators and that additional forces have been deployed along the IT Road corridor.
According to Kuki civil bodies, of the 28 deaths claimed this year, at least six, including two women, were killed in a series of coordinated attacks along the IT Road. Local sources described this latest incident as the sixth major attack targeting Kuki settlements along the IT Road, with earlier attacks reported in Lasan, Govajang and Teikhang. Kuki groups allege a pattern of coordinated attacks by NSCN-IM and ZUF-K in the region, while official casualty figures are yet to be released.
The humanitarian situation along the IT Road has deteriorated sharply following these repeated attacks. Kuki civil society organizations allege that apart from direct attacks by NSCN-IM and ZUF-K, the economic blockade enforced by the United Naga Council (UNC) has choked the supply of essential commodities, including food, medicines and fuel, to villages like Thonglang and Chawangkining. They allege that the blockade and the attacks are part of a coordinated effort to cut off Kuki villages. These claims are contested and remain under dispute.
Medical access has become extremely difficult for residents caught between alleged militant attacks and road restrictions. According to local accounts, at least three civilians have lost their lives in recent months due to inability to reach hospitals on time. Residents say ambulances and private vehicles carrying patients are often stopped, delayed or forced to take long detours through unsafe terrain. The killing of a lineman who was on duty to restore electricity has further deepened the sense of insecurity.
The IT Road has now emerged as a major flashpoint in the Kuki-Naga tensions, separate from the Kuki-Meitei conflict that has dominated Manipur since May 2023. While Kuki groups continue to allege that NSCN-IM and ZUF-K are carrying out attacks with impunity due to alleged government backing, Naga organizations have denied targeting civilians. The central government has so far maintained that it is committed to peace but has not issued a detailed response to the specific allegations of sponsorship.
