Fresh unrest erupted in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on Saturday, April 5, when suspected Kuki militants allegedly assaulted 10 people, including two Naga village chiefs, over a land dispute in Konsakhul village.

The attack, occurring around 12:15 PM IST, involved a mob of approximately 200 people accompanied by armed militants from the neighboring Kuki-majority Haraothel village, according to local accounts and police reports. The incident has deepened fears of escalating ethnic strife in a state already reeling from 23 months of Meitei-Kuki conflict.

The two village chiefs, Aimson Abonmai (65) and D. Adam (40), along with eight other Naga residents, sustained serious injuries and are receiving treatment in hospitals, including the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal. All are reportedly stable.

The assault follows a pattern of violence in Konsakhul—on January 7, a tribal woman was attacked by Kuki militants, sparking protests among the Liangmai Naga community over perceived inaction by authorities.

The timing is critical: this clash unfolded as the Ministry of Home Affairs held a tripartite meeting in New Delhi with Meitei and Kuki-Zo representatives to resolve the ongoing ethnic hostilities, which have claimed over 260 lives since May 2023.

The Rongmei Naga Council condemned the attack, urging Kuki leaders to prevent such incidents, warning of broader unrest. Security forces have been deployed to the hill village, but with Manipur’s fragile peace efforts faltering, this latest violence signals a deepening divide.