Four civilians shot dead near Myanmar border in Manipur’s Kamjong
Naga body announces shutdown, questions security arrangements
Imphal : Four civilians have been shot dead by unidentified gunmen in strife-torn Manipur’s Kamjong district near the Myanmar border.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the bodies, bearing bullet marks, were found early Friday at an isolated spot near the Myanmar border in remote Pilong village, nearly 34 km from the Kamjong district headquarters, after a prolonged search, police said.
The deceased were identified as Vareishim Jajo, Phami Jajo, Betterson Jajo and Ningthem Kashak, all belonging to the Tangkhul Naga community, police said. The bodies were taken to Kamjong district hospital for post-mortem examinations.
Locals alleged that militants from neighbouring Myanmar crossed into India and ambushed a group of five villagers on Thursday. One of them managed to escape and alert local authorities. Indian forces’ personnel were subsequently sent to the area to recover the bodies.
The killings triggered tensions in the border area, with the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) subsequently announcing a total shutdown across its jurisdiction in protest against the incident.
The Working Committee of Tangkhul Naga Long (WC-TNL) condemned the killings and held the government solely responsible for cross-border attacks. In a statement, the Naga organisation alleged that members of the Kuki National Army-Burma (KNA-B) and Kuki elements backed by the Myanmar-based armed group People’s Defence Force (PDF) carried out the attack.
The WC-TNL said the incident was the third such attack on Naga villagers along the India-Myanmar border in Kamjong district. It regretted that despite the repeated attacks, the state government as well as the border guards, including the Assam Rifles, remained “lackadaisical” and failed to protect the vulnerable villagers living along the border.
The broader ethnic conflict in Manipur began in May 2023, primarily involving the Christian-dominated Kuki-Zo and Hindu-dominated Meitei communities. Later, clashes also erupted between Kuki and Naga communities. The prolonged violence has so far claimed at least 306 lives, mostly Christians, while thousands remain displaced from their homes. The ruling BJP has faced severe criticism over its handling of the crisis and its failure to prevent recurring incidents of violence.
