Kuki-Zo Farmer Shot Dead in Jhum Field in Kangpokpi; Wife Escapes as Suspected NSCN-IM, ZUF-K Militants Strike

A 53-year-old Kuki-Zo farmer was allegedly gunned down while tending to his jhum field with his wife in Manipur's violence-scarred hill region on Saturday, in what has emerged as yet another deadly attack amid the continuing unrest in the state.

The victim, identified as Haolal Singsit (53), son of Paokhohen Singsit of Govajang village, was reportedly shot dead by suspected NSCN-IM and ZUF-K armed militants, while his wife, Nemneikim Singsit, narrowly escaped with her life.

According to local sources, the couple was working in their jhum field when heavily armed assailants allegedly launched a sudden attack, opening indiscriminate fire. Residents of Govajang village reported hearing nearly 20 rounds of gunfire at around 4 pm, triggering panic across the area.

When the couple failed to return home by evening, villagers mounted a search operation and discovered Haolal Singsit's lifeless body lying in the field with multiple gunshot wounds. His wife survived the attack and managed to escape, locals said.

Locals also reported that the fatal attack occurred barely four days after security forces conducted a combing operation near the village in Tamei Sub-Division of Tamenglong district, resulting in the recovery of several sophisticated weapons, raising serious concerns over the effectiveness of the operation and the prevailing security situation in the area.

The killing has sent shockwaves through the remote border village, reigniting fears over the deteriorating security situation in the hill districts, where civilians continue to bear the brunt of recurring armed violence despite repeated assurances of peace and stability.

Govajang Kuki Village, under the Tadubi Assembly Constituency in Tujang Vaichong Sub-Division, is the last Kuki village in the Twilang region of Kangpokpi district. The village is situated nearly 10 kilometres from the Tujang Vaichong Sub-Divisional Headquarters and has remained vulnerable due to its remote location.

The latest killing adds to the growing list of civilian casualties in the conflict-hit hill districts, further intensifying concerns over the persistent targeting of villagers engaged in their daily livelihoods.