Security forces in Manipur have recovered the bodies of four members of the Liangmai Naga community who were slain in an armed ambush in Kangpokpi district on Thursday morning. The recovery team, consisting of state police personnel, successfully retrieved the deceased on Friday morning after initial retrieval efforts faced significant obstacles due to road blockades. The victims were being transported toward the district headquarters of Senapati, following widespread anger and demonstrations by local residents demanding the return of the bodies to the Naga-majority region.
Deadly Attack on Remote Village Road
The deadly violence occurred at approximately 8:30 am on Thursday as five individuals were travelling inside a vehicle along a remote stretch between Makui Ashang and Thanamba Naga villages along the IT Road in Kangpokpi district. Unidentified armed assailants launched a sudden gunfire attack on the moving vehicle. Four occupants were killed instantly on the spot, while a fifth occupant sustained critical injuries during the shooting.
All five occupants belonged to the Liangmai Naga community. Official sources confirmed the identities of the four deceased individuals as Tadsongbou Ringkangmai, who served as the founder and principal of a private school; M Wijunamai; Anil Wijunamai; and Wisobou Charenamai, who held the position of chairman of the Chawangkining Village Authority. The sole surviving injured individual was identified as Gaikamang Ringkangmai, who was provided medical treatment following the incident.
Blockade Delays Recovery and Triggers Protests
Efforts to retrieve the victims' bodies immediately after the attack encountered severe logistical challenges. Security forces attempted to reach the ambush location on Thursday evening, but their movement was halted by an alleged blockade and local disruptions created in a village situated along the transit route. Consequently, a dedicated team of state police officers had to wait until Friday morning to reach the remote site, retrieve the four bodies, and initiate their transport toward Senapati district headquarters.
News of the ambush sparked immediate public outrage across the area. On Thursday night, a large crowd of local residents gathered at the Senapati district headquarters to register their protest and demand that the remains of the deceased be brought directly to the Naga-majority district. Respect for the victims was displayed along the transit route; when the convoy carrying the bodies reached Thonglang Atongba in Kangpokpi district, local village volunteers discharged several rounds of gunfire into the air as a traditional mark of honor and reverence for the deceased.
Government Response and Militant Allegations
In response to the tragic incident, Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh convened a high-level security meeting with senior administration and police officials. During the emergency session, the Chief Minister issued strict directives to security forces to swiftly identify, track down, and arrest all individuals involved in planning and executing the lethal ambush, emphasizing that firm legal action must be taken against the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, the United Naga Council (UNC), which functions as the apex representative organisation of the Naga community in Manipur, publicly addressed the ambush. The UNC alleged that two armed militant outfits, namely the Kuki National Front (P) and the Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA), were directly responsible for carrying out the targeted attack on the civilians.
