2 min readImphalUpdated: Apr 19, 2026 05:02 AM IST
A day after the Manipur CM’s visit to Ukhrul district, suspected militants attacked civilian vehicles along the Imphal–Ukhrul road on Saturday, leading to at least two casualties.
Police said the incident occurred around 2.30 pm at the TM Kasom stretch of the road, which falls under the jurisdiction of Ukhrul’s Litan police station. One of the deceased, SW Chinaosang, 45, a retired armyman belonging to the Tangkhul Naga tribe, was killed on the spot. Meanwhile, Yaruingam Vashum, a civilian, was declared brought dead at the local hospital. Both were residents of Ukhrul. At least four vehicles were also damaged in the attack. Local commuters on the stretch are now being escorted by a police convoy, the police said.
The incident happened a day after Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh visited the Ukhrul district on Friday as part of his outreach mission, calling for dialogue between the Tangkhul and Kuki communities to restore peace.
On Friday, heavy exchange of fire was also reported between Kuki and Tangkhul Naga volunteer groups, formed for security purposes, at Sinakeithei in Ukhrul district. A Kuki man was injured after security forces retaliated, the officials claimed.
Relations between the Tangkhul Naga and Kuki-Zo communities in Ukhrul have been strained since violence erupted in the Litan area in February, displacing hundreds of village residents.
Holding the central and the state governments responsible for the attack, the Tangkhul Naga Long alleged in a statement, “The inability of the security forces to comb out illegal militants and to undertake area domination exercises begs the question on whether the security forces are incompetent or simply complicit with the Kuki militants.”
It urged the government to conduct search operations at Yaolen and other Kuki villages near the attack site. Meanwhile, the Kuki-Zo Council, in a statement, denied the involvement of any Kuki-Zo individuals or groups in the incident.
