Three Killed in Manipur Militant Attack on Villagers — SkimNews
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- Unidentified armed militants opened fire on 14 Meitei villagers who were cutting and transporting firewood in Manipur on Monday, killing three and injuring four, senior police official Lhari Dorjee Lhatoo told reporters.
- Meitei groups blamed "militants" from the Kuki community for the attack; Kuki groups denied involvement, and the incident triggered protests in Imphal.
- The Meitei-Kuki conflict — between the state's mostly Hindu Meitei and predominantly Christian Kuki populations — has produced sporadic violence since May 2023 over economic benefits and job quotas, with the last reported death in such violence occurring in January.
- Locals in Imphal placed two of the victims' bodies before the residence of Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh before officials removed them, local media reported.
- Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh held a security meeting to review the overall security situation in the state, according to a statement from his office.
Why it matters: The Monday attack ended the longest documented lull in Manipur's ethnic conflict since May 2023 — the last reported death in Meitei-Kuki violence was in January. With Meitei groups blaming Kuki militants and Kuki groups denying responsibility, and two bodies placed directly before the chief minister's residence, Y Khemchand Singh's administration faces immediate pressure to contain a flare-up it had described as calmed.
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