Three Killed in Recent Spate of Violence in Manipur’s Thowai Kuki Village
In a tragic incident that occurred in the early hours of Friday morning, violence erupted in Thowai Kuki village situated in the Tangkhul Naga-dominated Ukhrul region of Manipur. Despite the relative tranquility maintained during the ongoing conflict in the state, this incident marked a stark departure.
The incident transpired around 4:30 am, according to police sources, within the Kuki village of Thowai Kuki, falling under the jurisdiction of Ukhrul police. The three individuals who lost their lives have been identified as Thangkhokai Haokip, Jamkhogin Haokip, and Hollenson Baite.
Ukhrul Superintendent of Police (SP) Ningshem Vashum confirmed that the victims were village guards assigned the responsibility of safeguarding the locality. Shedding light on the incident, Vashum explained, “The occurrence is linked to the ongoing ethnic conflict in the state. Armed miscreants infiltrated the village, targeting these three individuals who were stationed as guardians. The firing has ceased in the area, and security forces, including the Army and police, have swiftly intervened.”
Due to the village’s remote location, the nearest security outpost is approximately 3 kilometers away, which explains the absence of security personnel during the attack.
Although Thowai Kuki is within Ukhrul police jurisdiction, it falls under the revenue district of Kamjong. Ukhrul itself has not experienced violence amidst the ongoing clashes involving the state’s Meitei and Kuki-Zomi communities. Vashum disclosed that another incident of violence had transpired in a different Kuki village located in Kamjong approximately a month prior.
Since May 3, the state has been plagued by persistent violence, with the most severely affected districts being Meitei-dominated Bishnupur, Imphal West, Imphal East, and Kakching, alongside Kuki-Zomi-dominated Churachandpur and Kangpokpi.
