At least five people from the Kuki tribal community have been killed in two separate incidents in India’s northeastern state of Manipur, police confirmed on Sunday, as renewed ethnic violence heightened tensions in the conflict-hit region.
According to a police statement, three Kuki men were killed on Saturday during an exchange of gunfire involving unidentified armed individuals in the state’s Noney district.
In a separate incident, security personnel recovered the bodies of two other Kuki men in Kangpokpi district on Sunday morning.
The two men had reportedly gone missing earlier in the week, prompting security forces to launch a search operation.
A prominent Kuki tribal organisation blamed Naga separatist groups for the killings, describing the incidents as a “direct unprovoked assault” on members of the community in their homeland.
However, police have not publicly confirmed responsibility for the deaths, and the circumstances surrounding both incidents remain under investigation.
The latest killings come amid large-scale demonstrations in Manipur’s capital, Imphal, and other parts of the state.
Hundreds of thousands of protesters reportedly participated in demonstrations demanding the termination of a ceasefire arrangement between the Indian government and Kuki armed groups.
The renewed violence has intensified concerns about security and relations between ethnic communities in Manipur, where longstanding tensions and armed conflict have repeatedly disrupted civilian life.
Authorities face growing pressure to investigate the killings, identify those responsible and prevent further violence in the region.