Four Naga villages attacked in Manipur, pastor shot

Women raise slogans on Imphal-Jiribam Road (NH-37) in Imphal on September 1, 2026 during a strike called by the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD), demanding an update of the NRC before the 2027 census. | Photo credit: ANI

Unidentified extremists on Tuesday (September 1, 2026) attacked four Liangmai Naga villages along the Imphal-Tamenglong road in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district, less than 24 hours after three Kuki villagers were killed in the area.

Ukhrul Working Committee Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL), the apex body of the community, claimed that the Kuki National Front-Presidential (KNF-P) carried out the attacks in collaboration with the Kuki National Army (KNA).

According to TNL, the attackers shot and critically wounded Luithuibou Newmai, the pastor of Tapon village, and set fire to several houses in the affected villages by early afternoon.

“Coordinated armed attacks on four Naga villages were carried out by KNF-P and KRA cadres led by Jangboi Kipgen, who is also the Home Secretary of the United People’s Front, the umbrella organization of Kuki-Zo militant groups operating in Manipur,” TNL said in a statement.

Noting that these Kuki groups were under a standstill of operation (SoO) agreement with the Centre, TNL said the Liangmai Nagas have been under constant attack by Kuki extremists for the past few months.

“The modus operandi of migrant Kukis who have been launching repeated armed offensives in the jurisdiction of Kangpokpi (District) is clearly aimed at effecting demographic change. The landless Kukis are exploiting and exploiting this pattern of attacks to establish their hegemony over the ancestral land of the Nagas by uprooting us from our homes,” TNL said.

TNL condemned the attacks and criticized the government for its alleged failure to control the Kuki groups under the SoO agreement.

The strike disrupts normal life

Meanwhile, normal life was affected in large areas of Manipur – specifically five districts of the Imphal Valley – on Tuesday (September 1, 2026) after the Campaign for Justice and Fair Delimitation (JFD) went on a 24-hour general strike despite the Center postponing the census in the state on Monday (2026).

The JFD wants the government to prepare a National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state before conducting the census.

The shutdown affected business establishments, public transport and vehicular movement in several areas, with protesters blocking roads and preventing the movement of vehicles, except those providing essential and emergency services.

The Manipur government approached the JFD to withdraw the shutdown after the Center announced postponement of the census exercise. The organization continued the strike and argued that the General Secretary of India should make the postponement formal through a gazette notification.

Published – 01 Sep 2026 19:14 IST