Man killed in suspected militant firing in Manipur's Kangpokpi district, investigation underway

A 58-year-old villager was killed in a suspected militant attack after unidentified armed assailants allegedly opened fire on a group of residents collecting firewood and carrying out maintenance work in a forested area of Manipur's Kangpokpi district on Monday, June 8 officials said.

The deceased has been identified as Chungjanglung Panmei (58), a resident of Pongringlong Part-I village belonging to the Rongmei Naga community.

According to police officials, the incident occurred in a forested area above Tupul village, approximately 40 kilometres southwest of New Keithelmanbi Police Station. A group of nine villagers had reportedly entered the area at around 6:40 a.m. to collect firewood and repair water pipelines supplying drinking water to the village.

During the course of their work, unidentified armed men, suspected to be militants, allegedly opened fire on the group from an estimated distance of about 500 metres. While the other villagers managed to escape, Panmei sustained a gunshot injury to his right leg and subsequently went missing.

Following reports of the attack, Manipur Police launched a search and rescue operation in the area. Panmei's body was recovered at around 1:30 p.m. from the forest.

Police officials said a preliminary examination of the body revealed multiple bullet injuries, including wounds to the head. Investigators suspect that the victim may have been shot at close range after being injured, though the exact circumstances surrounding the killing will be determined following further investigation.

The body has been sent to a hospital in Imphal for post-mortem examination.

Pongringlong Part-I is a small Rongmei Naga village located above Tupul in Kangpokpi district. The village comprises approximately 14 households and has a population of around 60 residents.

In the aftermath of the incident, the Pongringlong Youth Club condemned the killing and alleged the involvement of armed Kuki militants. The organisation described the incident as a matter of serious concern and urged authorities to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation.

However, police have not officially identified the perpetrators, and investigations into the attack remain ongoing.

Village authorities also clarified reports circulating locally that described Panmei as a village guard. According to village representatives, he was not serving in that capacity but was a member of the village authority and had accompanied other residents for routine firewood collection and repair of water supply infrastructure.

The incident comes amid continuing security concerns in Manipur's hill districts. On June 5, three members of the Kuki community were killed by unidentified armed men in Loibol Khullen village under the New Keithelmanbi subdivision of Kangpokpi district.

Manipur has witnessed prolonged ethnic unrest since May 2023, primarily involving Meitei and Kuki communities. In recent weeks, tensions have also reportedly increased between sections of the Naga and Kuki communities following twin ambush incidents reported in Kangpokpi and Noney districts on May 13. The attacks resulted in the deaths of four individuals, including three church leaders and a Naga man.

Security agencies continue to monitor the situation across the region while efforts are underway to identify those responsible for the latest killing.