Kanggui: Senapati district in Manipur witnessed a rise in death toll to three on Sunday after injured Mao Naga civilian Ashiho Sani, 49, of Shajouba village succumbed at 3 am at GetWell Hospital in Imphal. He was critically injured in the indiscriminate firing at Kailengjang village on Saturday afternoon along with three others.
On Saturday around 2:30 pm, a group of Mao villagers from Makhel, Shajouba, Chowainamai Khullen and Laii had gone to Kailengjang area for daily wage work and firewood collection when 5-6 armed men in combat dress, suspected to be NSCN-IM cadres, allegedly intercepted and opened fire. Two died on the spot — K. Rocky Osanah of Chowainamai Khullen and Kh. Kumar of Laii Shirafii.
Two others were critically injured — Ashiho Sani and Adani Manio, 33, of Makhel. Locals carried them on foot for nearly 2 km before shifting to District Hospital Senapati and then to GetWell Hospital. Sani, with chest and abdominal injuries, died after 12 hours despite surgery. Manio remains in ICU on ventilator and doctors say the next 48 hours are critical.
Following Sani’s death, hundreds gathered at Traffic Point, Senapati at 11 am Sunday for a condolence service organised by Mao Council, Mao Students’ Union, ANSAM, NPO and SDWA. Bodies were draped in traditional Mao shawls, candles lit, and prayers offered. The Mao Council declared Monday as a day of mourning and urged Mao shops in Senapati to remain shut till noon.
At the service, Mao leaders made serious allegations, directly blaming the NSCN-IM and stating clearly that the attack has no link with Kukis or the Meitei-Kuki conflict. “They want to suppress the Mao people because we refused illegal taxation and their diktat on our ancestral land. This is not a Kuki attack,” a Mao elder said. Villagers alleged pressure to vacate Kailengjang for months.
The NSCN-IM is yet to issue a statement. Police said an FIR has been registered and a joint team of Manipur Police and Assam Rifles has launched a search operation in Kailengjang. Post-mortem of the two earlier victims was done Saturday; Sani’s body will be handed over after post-mortem. Security has been tightened in Mao villages like Makhel, Shajouba, Laii and Chowainamai.
Naga civil bodies including ANSAM and NPO condemned the killings as “fratricidal and crime against Naga brotherhood” and called for peace and justice. NPO has called an emergency meeting on Monday. Local sources said with these three deaths, the number of Naga civilians killed in factional and armed violence in Manipur this year has risen to 27.
The last rites of Ashiho Sani will be held Monday at Shajouba, while the other two will be laid to rest at their native villages. Tension remains high in Senapati but under control. Further investigation is underway.
