Chief of Langchingmanbi Village Shot Dead; ITLF Announces ‘Indefinite Shutdown’

The Chief of Langchingmanbi village, who was reportedly shot by a stray bullet fired by security forces on Thursday evening, has succumbed to her injuries. The body of the deceased, identified as Hoikholhing, was taken to Churachandpur District Hospital on Thursday night for post-mortem examination.

According to reports, unidentified persons fired several gunshots on Thursday afternoon, injuring a Meitei man who was in the field at Phubala. The injured man was taken to RIMS Hospital, Imphal. In response to the incident, locals of Phubala and surrounding areas blocked the road.

In retaliation to the gunfire, the Sikh Regiment reportedly conducted a combing operation in the Heichanglok area and fired several shots, which injured the village chief, Hoikholhing. She later succumbed to her injuries.

In condemnation of the incident, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) has declared a total shutdown with immediate effect as a mark of protest and mourning.

ITLF stated that Hoikholhing, Chief of Langchingmanbi Village, who was mercilessly shot on Thursday evening, later succumbed to her injuries. Her only "crime"—being a member of the Kuki-Zo community.

“This heinous act is not an isolated incident,” the ITLF said. “It is yet another targeted assault in what has now become a systematic campaign of state-sponsored ethnic cleansing against the Kuki minority. The ITLF holds the State Government directly responsible for allowing such atrocities to unfold under its watch.”

Stating that they will not tolerate the "continuous slaughter of innocent Kuki-Zo lives," the ITLF added that the silence and inaction of the authorities—despite repeated warnings—have enabled a culture of impunity to flourish.

The Kuki-Zo body stated that the security forces, well aware of the volatile situation due to repeated and provocative breaches of the Buffer Zone by Meitei aggressors, have failed in their constitutional duty to protect the vulnerable. This inaction, they say, has now cost yet another life.

The ITLF also demands immediate action against those responsible for the atrocity, concrete steps from the Central Government to ensure the protection of tribal lives and territory, and an independent investigation into repeated Buffer Zone violations.

In support of the ITLF shutdown, the Joint Kuki Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) of Churachandpur have unequivocally endorsed the call for an Indefinite Shutdown in response to the brutal and targeted killing of Hoikholhing, Chief of Langchingmanbi Village.

The Joint Kuki CSOs urged all Kuki communities, organisations, institutions, and concerned individuals to strictly observe and uphold the Indefinite Shutdown declared by the ITLF.