Four Killed in Separate Shooting Incidents in Manipur; Protests Erupt in Imphal
Fresh violence in Manipur has claimed at least four lives in two separate shooting incidents, triggering protests in Imphal and disrupting normal activities in parts of the city. Protesters brought the bodies of two victims to the high-security residence of Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh, demanding immediate action against those responsible.
At least four people have been killed in two separate incidents of violence in Manipur, intensifying tensions in the state, where relations between the Meitei and Kuki communities have remained strained since ethnic clashes erupted in May 2023.
In the first incident, three villagers were allegedly shot dead by suspected militants near Khamenlok in Imphal East district while collecting firewood in the nearby hills. Three others sustained injuries in the attack, according to media reports.
Local MLA Thokchom Lokeshor Singh said the victims were collecting firewood near the boundary between Imphal East and Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district when they came under attack. The deceased were identified as Arubam Ronil, 35, Lairenlakpam Inaobi, 44, and Kshetrimayum Sushil, 32.
The injured—Meisnam Somendro, 55, Bonson Khingdram, 45, and Ngangom Suraj, 22—were admitted to Raj Medicity Hospital in Imphal. The MLA also said Assam Rifles personnel had assured the firewood collectors of protection.
In a separate incident, a 24-year-old man died after being shot during violence at a musical event in a locality inhabited by Meiteis and Pangal Muslims, according to media reports. The incident reportedly involved stone-pelting and gunfire, leaving several people injured.
The killings triggered angry protests in Imphal, with demonstrators carrying the bodies of two victims to the Chief Minister’s high-security residence and demanding accountability. Authorities subsequently removed the bodies, while police resorted to tear gas and a lathi-charge to disperse protesters who had entered the premises.
Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh later visited the injured at Raj Medicity Hospital as security personnel took steps to secure the site of the fatal shooting.
The latest incidents have renewed concerns over the fragile security situation in Manipur, particularly along the sensitive Imphal East–Kangpokpi boundary. Authorities face renewed pressure to investigate the killings and prevent further violence as tensions continue to simmer across the state.
