By St. Ginth Haokip, Kukiland Express Desk
Saikul: April 25, 2026
Two Kuki village volunteers, Mr. Letlal Sitlhou of K. Khonom and Paominlun Haolai of Haijang Village, were killed and several civilians, including women and children, injured when suspected NSCN-IM cadres launched a pre-dawn assault on Mullam and Shongphal villages in Ukhrul district on Friday, according to local reports. The attackers, identified by locals as Tangkhul Kacha-Naga armed militants, allegedly stormed the villages around 5:30 AM while residents were asleep, opening fire indiscriminately and setting houses ablaze.
Eyewitnesses said the militants torched at least two houses during the raid, with flames spreading quickly through the settlements. Multiple villagers sustained injuries in the gunfire and ensuing chaos, though the exact condition of the wounded could not be confirmed immediately. Families fled into nearby forests to escape the attack, and many remained displaced hours later amid fears of further violence.
The deceased volunteers, Mr. Letlal Sitlhou and Paominlun Haolai, who were guarding the villages, died on the spot while attempting to repel the attackers, community members said. Local sources alleged the assault was unprovoked and targeted civilians, adding to longstanding tensions between Kuki and Tangkhul Kacha-Naga armed groups in the district. Security forces reached the area after the perpetrators had fled.
Kuki groups, including KIM, KWOHR, and KOHUR, have condemned the attack on civilians and urged immediate intervention to protect Kuki villages in Ukhrul. They demanded a probe into the killings of Mr. Letlal Sitlhou and Paominlun Haolai, medical aid for the injured, and deployment of forces to prevent further raids. The incident has heightened anxiety across the hill districts as communities brace for possible retaliatory violence.
