Three Kuki men killed in Manipur gunfight
Two other Kuki civilians were found dead on Sunday after going missing from Taphou Kuki village on Wednesday.
Three men from the Kuki community were killed during a gunfight between rival armed groups at Kekru Naga village in Manipur's Noney district on Saturday morning, police said.
The deceased have been identified as Thanglensang Singson, Thangkhosei Haokip and Lamminsang Kipgen, all from Churachandpur district. The Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) stated that the three men were village volunteers.
KIM, the apex body of the Kuki community, alleged that Naga militant groups were behind the killings. The group demanded justice, accountability and immediate state action, claiming the deaths were a consequence of the state's refusal to provide adequate security.
In a separate incident, Manipur Police said on Sunday that two Kuki civilians who went missing from Taphou Kuki village on Wednesday were found dead.
The police said necessary security measures have been taken in the Noney district area following the exchange of fire, which lasted several hours in the forested hill village.
The deaths in Noney and the two civilians bring the toll in clashes between Naga and Kuki groups since February to 68.