Three persons from the Tangkhul Naga and Kuki communities were killed in separate gunfights in Manipur’s Ukhrul district on Friday, police said.
One person was killed in the first attack, carried out in the early hours of Friday in Sinakeithei, a Tangkhul Naga village in Ukhrul. Two armed Kuki persons were subsequently killed in Mullam, a Kuki village, in retaliatory firing, police said.
Local police confirmed the deaths but could only provide sketchy details of the attacks.
The Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL), a Naga organisation, said in a statement that one of the dead, identified as Horshokmi Jamang (29), belonged to the Tangkhul Naga community.
The Mullam village authority alleged in a separate statement that Tangkhul militants attacked the village around 5.30 am on Friday; two injured villagers were rescued later.
A statement issued by the Bungpi-Ihang defence committee, a Kuki body from Kangpokpi district, said two Kuki volunteers — Letlal Sitlhou, a resident of the K Khonom village, and Paominlun Haolao from Haijang village — from Kangpokpi district were killed in the gunfight.
The Kohima-based Global Naga Forum alleged that Kuki militants under SoO are “witnessed loitering” in close proximity to Naga villages such as Sinakeithei, Thoyee, Sharakphung and TM Kasom.
