Kuki woman killed, husband and son injured in early-morning firing in Manipur’s Tamenglong

A Kuki woman was allegedly killed and her husband and son injured after armed men attacked their home in Tollen village of Manipur’s Tamenglong district early Sunday, September 13, local sources said.

The deceased was identified as Lhingjangai Singsit. Her husband, Seineh Singsit, suffered gunshot injuries and is undergoing treatment, while their youngest son was also injured in the attack, according to the sources.

The firing reportedly took place around 4 am. Local residents alleged that suspected NSCN-IM cadres and Naga Village Guards were involved. The allegation could not be independently verified, and there was no immediate statement or claim of responsibility from any armed group.

The couple’s three children were initially unaccounted for after the attack but were later traced. Their youngest son sustained a gunshot wound to his arm, while a bullet was reportedly lodged in his buttocks, local sources said.

The incident occurred on September 13, a day observed by the Kuki community as Sahnit Ni, or Kuki Black Day, to remember victims of the Kuki-Naga violence of the 1990s.

The day commemorates the victims of the Joupi massacre of September 13, 1993, when scores of Kuki civilians were killed in parts of Tamenglong and the then Senapati district. Kuki groups have accused NSCN-IM cadres of involvement in the killings.

Tollen, also spelt Tolen, is a remote settlement in the Tousem area of Tamenglong West. Poor road connectivity and difficult terrain in the area can make access to medical care and emergency evacuation challenging.

The latest attack has raised concerns among residents over renewed violence in remote areas of Tamenglong. The district and areas along the Imphal-Tamenglong Road have witnessed sporadic incidents of firing and clashes amid continuing tensions between Kuki-Zo and Naga communities.