Kuki woman killed in crossfire, farmer injured, protests erupt in Manipur

A woman from the Kuki community was killed in a crossfire between security forces and suspected Kuki militants in Chingphei village of Churachandpur district on Thursday, shortly after a gun attack left a Meitei farmer injured in neighbouring Phubala village of Bishnupur district. The incident has reignited ethnic tensions in the region and triggered protests from both Meitei and Kuki groups.

According to official sources, the firing began around 3:30 p.m. on Thursday after armed miscreants allegedly opened fire at Phubala, a low-lying agricultural village situated along the Bishnupur-Churachandpur border.

The assailants, reportedly positioned in the adjoining hills, fired multiple rounds at farmers working in the fields. Sixty-year-old Ningthoujam Biren, a Meitei farmer, was hit in the left arm and was rushed to Bishnupur District Hospital. Speaking from his hospital bed, Biren said, “I was working in the fields when I heard five gunshots. One of them hit me. We couldn’t even see who fired.”

Following the attack, security forces launched an area domination operation in nearby Chingphei village, which led to an encounter with suspected militants. During the exchange of fire, a woman identified as Hoikholhing Haokip, wife of Khaikhogin Haokip, the village chief of Langchingmanbi in Churachandpur, was struck by a stray bullet. She was rushed to Churachandpur District Hospital but succumbed to her injuries later.

While authorities have not released an official statement on the circumstances surrounding her death, they confirmed that the situation remains tense in both districts. Additional state and central forces have been deployed to prevent further violence and maintain order.

In response to the Phubala firing, angry villagers imposed a local bandh, demanding stronger protection for farmers in vulnerable border areas. Women from Phubala also issued an ultimatum to the Governor, Chief Secretary, and Director General of Police, demanding identification and action against the perpetrators by 11 a.m. on Friday, June 21. They warned of a statewide shutdown if their demands are not met.

Meanwhile, the death of Hoikholhing Haokip has drawn sharp criticism from Kuki civil society organisations. The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) condemned the incident, calling it “yet another targeted assault aimed at the cleansing of the Kuki-Zo minority.”

The ITLF announced an indefinite shutdown across Kuki-dominated areas as a protest and period of mourning. They also demanded immediate action against those responsible, Central government intervention to protect tribal lives, and an independent investigation into alleged violations of buffer zones.

The Kuki Women’s Organisation for Human Rights (KWOHR) echoed these concerns, calling for the immediate arrest of those involved in Hoikholhing’s death and a judicial probe into the incident. The group also called for accountability over all recent buffer zone breaches.

These developments come amid ongoing ethnic unrest in Manipur, which has witnessed recurring violence and clashes since May 2023 between Kuki and Meitei communities. Just days earlier, on June 15, another confrontation erupted in Leitanpokpi, Imphal East, over disputed farmland, further highlighting the fragile peace in the region.

As both communities mourn their respective losses and express their anger, the threat of more unrest looms large unless effective measures are taken to de-escalate tensions and ensure safety for civilians in vulnerable zones.