One killed, another injured in gunfight between Tikhir and Yimkhiung communities in Nagaland

One person was killed and another injured in a gunfight between members of the Tikhir and Yimkhiung communities in Nagaland’s Kiphire district, police said on Sunday, October 11. Several houses were also reportedly burnt during the clashes.

The gunfight broke out at Longtsunger on Saturday following a dispute over the celebration of a festival by members of the Tikhir community in villages inhabited by both communities, police said. Properties were also reportedly burnt in Zaonger village.

Additional security forces have been deployed in vulnerable areas as the situation remained tense.

The district administration has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in parts of Pungro sub-division, citing fears of further escalation and a possible breach of peace.

Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton, who also holds the Home portfolio, appealed to both communities to maintain calm and cooperate with law enforcement agencies. He said differences could be resolved only through peaceful dialogue.

The Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO), the apex tribal body in the region, also appealed to all tribes to maintain peace.

ENPO president Chingmak Chang urged the Yimkhiung and Tikhir tribal councils to take urgent steps to stop the violence and restore normalcy.