'Indefinite shutdown' in Manipur's Kuki areas after woman killed in crossfire

An indefinite shutdown called by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) has brought daily life to a grinding halt across Churachandpur district and other Kuki-dominated regions of Manipur. The protest was launched in response to the killing of Hoikholhing, wife of the Langchingmanbi village chief. She was allegedly killed during a crossfire between security forces and armed militants on Thursday, June 19.

The incident occurred during a search operation launched by security personnel in Langchingmanbi village, hours after a separate gun attack in Phubala, Bishnupur district, where Ningthoujam Biren, a 60-year-old Meitei farmer, was shot and injured by unidentified assailants while working in his paddy field.

In a strongly-worded statement, the Kuki Inpi Youth Affairs, a youth wing of a Kuki organisation, alleged that “Hoikholhing was shot dead during a crossfire between Central security forces and armed Meitei militants.” The organisation blamed what it called the negligence of security forces and warned that the government must act to prevent a further rise in unrest.

The ITLF condemned the killing as a “grave injustice” and said the incident highlighted the ongoing failure of authorities to protect civilians in conflict-hit areas. “This is not just a tragic loss for one family, but a glaring example of the state’s breakdown in law and order,” the ITLF said in its statement.

In support of the shutdown, six Kuki civil society organisations have expressed solidarity and demanded a high-level investigation into the circumstances leading to Hoikholhing’s death. They also called for accountability and immediate justice for the victim’s family.

By Friday morning, Churachandpur town wore a deserted look, with bandh supporters blocking roads, including the strategic Tiddim Road (NH-150) that connects Imphal with Mizoram via Churachandpur. Markets, educational institutions, and government offices remained shut, though essential services such as pharmacies and medical facilities were exempted from the bandh.

This latest flare-up comes amid ongoing ethnic unrest that has plagued Manipur since May 3, 2023, when large-scale violence broke out between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities. The region remains heavily militarized, with additional state and central forces deployed in the wake of the recent incidents to maintain order.

Authorities have appealed for calm and reassured the public that investigations into both the Churachandpur and Phubala shootings are underway. However, with tensions running high and community trust in law enforcement eroding, the indefinite shutdown threatens to deepen the divide and prolong the instability gripping the state.

Meanwhile, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has urged the government to take immediate and firm action to address the rising threat perception faced by farmers during the current cultivation season.

COCOMI has demanded that the government step up its efforts by deploying security forces across the first line of hill terrain and foothill ranges that border the valley’s agricultural zones. “This is the working season. Our farmers must have the right to safely access and cultivate their fields. Without a secure environment, they are being denied this basic right,” he said.

Warning of possible mass agitation, COCOMI has emphasised the need for immediate action to push back armed groups and prevent future attacks.