Two Kuki women shot dead in suspected Naga militant attack in Manipur's Jiribam
Synopsis
In a grim escalation in Manipur's Jiribam district, two Kuki women — a 60-year-old and a 28-year-old nursing graduate — were allegedly shot dead by Naga armed group cadres while gathering firewood. With six Kuki villagers reportedly killed in three days, the Kuki-Zo Council has now ordered that victims' bodies not be buried until justice is delivered — a striking protest that underscores the community's fury at what it calls persistent government inaction.
Key Takeaways
Chonga Sitlhou, 60 , and Ng.
Kimneo Singson, 28 , were shot dead at Leisangphai, Jiribam district, Manipur on 15 September 2026 .
Kuki community bodies have blamed NSCN-IM and ZUF (Kamson) for the attack.
The Kuki-Zo Council issued a directive that no Kuki-Zo victim of Naga armed groups shall be buried until further notice — bodies to be preserved in cold storage.
The Kuki Inpi Manipur says six Kuki villagers have been killed in the past three days across Jiribam, Tamenglong, and Noney districts.
Community leaders have demanded immediate intervention by both the Centre and the Manipur state government to protect civilians and ensure accountability.
Two women from the Kuki community were shot and killed allegedly by cadres of a Naga armed group at Leisangphai in Jiribam district of Manipur on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, according to officials. The killings have triggered a sharp escalation in community tensions, with Kuki organisations announcing an unprecedented protest measure — refusing to bury the dead until justice is delivered.
What Happened at Leisangphai
According to police, the two victims — Chonga Sitlhou, 60, and Ng. Kimneo Singson, 28 — were gathering firewood on their farm when armed cadres allegedly opened fire, killing both on the spot. Singson had reportedly completed her nursing course recently and had returned home to help her parents with farming work, according to local sources. The attack occurred in Jiribam district, one of several areas in Manipur that has seen a series of ethnically charged violent incidents in recent months.
Community Organisations Blame NSCN-IM and ZUF-K
Kuki community bodies have squarely blamed the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) — NSCN-IM and ZUF (Kamson) for the attack. The Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), a leading tribal organisation, condemned what it called an unprovoked killing of innocent Kuki villagers and stated that over the past three days — including Tuesday — six innocent Kuki villagers have reportedly been killed. “Where are the Central and state Governments? How much longer will the authorities remain silent in the face of repeated attacks on innocent Kuki-Zo civilians?” the KIM said in a statement. The organisation added that the Kuki people had “exercised considerable restraint despite repeated provocations,” while warning that continued targeting of civilians and alleged government inaction were “pushing the situation towards an extremely dangerous point.”
The Burial Moratorium: An Unprecedented Protest
The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), the apex body of the community, issued a formal notification directing that no Kuki-Zo person killed by Naga armed groups in Manipur shall be buried until further notice. “The mortal remains of every such victim shall instead be preserved in the nearest available cold-storage facility until further directions are issued,” the KZC said. The council described the decision as “a deliberate and collective measure of protest and resistance against the continuing killing of Kuki-Zo civilians and the failure to ensure justice and accountability.” It added that it could “not allow the deaths of people to be reduced to isolated incidents and forgotten after burial while those responsible continued to operate with impunity.” The Kuki Inpi Manipur also announced separately that the mortal remains of the two women killed on Tuesday would not be claimed “until justice is attained.”
Demand for Central and State Government Action
The KIM has called on both the Centre and the Manipur state government to act immediately to stop further attacks, protect civilian villages, and bring perpetrators to justice. Notably, the organisation clarified it did not wish to see the actions of armed groups damage broader Kuki-Naga relations, acknowledging that many Nagas do not support the violence and “genuinely desire peace and peaceful coexistence.” The attacks have occurred across Jiribam, Tamenglong, and Noney districts, according to Kuki organisations, signalling a geographic spread of the conflict. Manipur has remained under severe ethnic strain since violence erupted between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities in May 2023, but the latest incidents represent a distinct and escalating Kuki-Naga dimension that has received comparatively less national attention.
What Comes Next
Security forces in Jiribam are yet to issue a formal statement on the status of any investigation or the identity of the alleged perpetrators. The burial moratorium, if sustained, is likely to intensify political pressure on both the state and central governments for a credible response. Community leaders have urged immediate deployment of security personnel to protect vulnerable villages and have demanded accountability for what they describe as a pattern of targeted killings going unpunished.
Point of View
Spread across three districts, suggests a coordinated pattern rather than isolated incidents, yet there has been no visible Central government response. Manipur's ethnic crisis has largely been framed around Meitei-Kuki tensions since May 2023, but this Kuki-Naga dimension — equally lethal and now geographically widening — is being systematically undercovered. If the Centre does not act with urgency, it risks allowing a second fault line in Manipur to deepen into an unmanageable conflict.
NationPress
15 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the two Kuki women killed in Manipur on 15 September 2026?
The two victims were Chonga Sitlhou, 60, and Ng. Kimneo Singson, 28, both from the Kuki community in Leisangphai, Jiribam district, Manipur. They were allegedly shot dead while gathering firewood on their farm by cadres of a Naga armed group.
Which groups have been blamed for the attack?
Kuki community organisations, including the Kuki Inpi Manipur and the Kuki-Zo Council, have blamed the NSCN-IM (National Socialist Council of Nagaland — Isak-Muivah) and ZUF (Kamson) for the attack and related killings in recent days.
What is the Kuki-Zo Council's burial moratorium?
The Kuki-Zo Council, the apex body of the Kuki-Zo community, has directed that no Kuki-Zo person killed by Naga armed groups in Manipur shall be buried until further notice. Mortal remains are to be preserved in cold-storage facilities as a collective protest against ongoing violence and alleged government inaction.
How many Kuki villagers have been killed in recent days?
According to the Kuki Inpi Manipur, six innocent Kuki villagers have reportedly been killed over three days including Tuesday, 15 September 2026, across Jiribam, Tamenglong, and Noney districts of Manipur.
What are Kuki community leaders demanding from the government?
Both the Kuki-Zo Council and the Kuki Inpi Manipur have urged the Central and Manipur state governments to immediately stop further attacks, deploy security forces to protect vulnerable villages, ensure civilian safety, and bring those responsible for the killings to justice.
