Nine people were killed and at least 14 houses set ablaze in a fresh outbreak of ethnic violence that erupted across three hill districts of Manipur on October 9 and 10, 2026, according to police and local sources. The deaths occurred in Kamjong, Kangpokpi, and Ukhrul districts, with four deaths reported in each of Kamjong and Kangpokpi, and one in Ukhrul. The victims comprised six members of the Naga community, two from the Kuki community, and one person of Nepali (Gorkha) origin.
The violence began on the night of October 9 near Chassad police station in Naga-majority Kamjong district. According to police accounts, a joint team of Manipur Police, India Reserve Battalion (IRB), and Border Security Force (BSF) personnel had launched an operation to dismantle alleged illegal bunkers and arrest village volunteers. The operation occurred in Kuki-dominated Chassad village. Local women protested the security action, and unidentified assailants then opened fire on the security team, prompting retaliation. In the exchange of fire, Domkhonei Touthang, described by Deccan Chronicle as a 42-year-old Kuki woman and mother of five, was fatally shot. However, Business Standard and The Hindu reported her age as 22. Police also reported that an attempt was made to set the Chassad police station on fire.
Touthang's death triggered intense clashes between Kuki and Naga armed groups that continued into October 10. Early on October 10, a 22- or 23-year-old Kuki man identified as Michael Ngamminlen Haokip was shot dead in Chassad, and multiple houses belonging to both communities were burned in the area. Later that morning, two Naga village guards—Ngachanso Ningshen (reported as 30–35 years old by Deccan Chronicle and 35 by The Hindu) and Leishishan Hungyo or Leishadang (reported as 45–50 by Deccan Chronicle and 48 by The Hindu)—were killed in an attack at Ningchou Chingdong village, approximately 17 kilometers southeast of Chassad near the Myanmar border. Security forces later responded to the incident, and local residents reported that attackers fled toward Myanmar.
In Kangpokpi district, four Naga village guards or volunteers were killed in attacks around Tapon, Makui, and the Imphal-Tamenglong road corridor. Those named in reports included M. Daimai, R. Gangmei, and Ringkangmai. A Naga civil society organization, the Working Committee JTC Manipur, claimed that a 52-year-old villager identified as Ajinbou R. or Ajinpou Ringkangmai was beheaded by militants and demanded the return of the severed head for a dignified burial. A heavy exchange of fire was also reported between armed groups at Makui Ashang and Tapon.
In Ukhrul district, Sandeep Rai, a 40-year-old man of Nepali origin, was shot dead in an ambush while traveling on National Highway 202 or an adjoining road near Konjang or Yaolen. He died inside his vehicle.
In response to the violence, Kamjong district authorities imposed prohibitory orders under Section 162 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) restricting gatherings within a 400-meter radius of Chassad police station. Kuki organizations called for shutdowns, including an indefinite blockade on National Highway 202 and a 24-hour shutdown in Kangpokpi. Additional security forces were rushed to the worst-hit Kangpokpi and Kamjong districts. Chief Minister Y. Khemchand Singh, who was meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi at the time of the violence, condemned the killings and appealed for peace and restraint. The Prime Minister assured all possible central assistance to restore peace and normalcy.
Both Naga and Kuki groups have traded charges over responsibility for the violence, with some alleging the involvement of militant outfits, including possible cross-border elements from Myanmar. This fresh bloodshed occurs in the context of broader ethnic tensions in Manipur. The state has experienced prolonged violence since May 2023, initially between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, which later expanded to involve Naga groups in the hill areas. According to the sources, more than 40 people have been killed and dozens of houses torched in violence between Kuki and Naga tribes since February 2026. Earlier violence between Meitei and Kuki communities resulted in over 300 deaths, 49 missing persons, and thousands rendered homeless.
