Fresh Attack Mars Lasan Victim's Funeral; Mohun Bagan Footballer Among Three Injured, Kuki Bodies Demand Action

A fresh attack that left three youths injured, including a Mohun Bagan footballer, cast a dark shadow over the funeral of a victim of the recent Lasan-Langka attack on Monday, as Kuki-Zo civil society organisations accused NSCN-IM and its alleged proxy outfit ZUF-K of targeting civilians and demanded immediate government intervention.

The violence unfolded even as thousands of grieving Kuki-Zo residents gathered at the Martyrs' Cemetery in Phaijang to bid a final farewell to Jangngam Hangshing, who was killed in the June 13 Lasan-Langka attack allegedly carried out by NSCN-IM and ZUF-K cadres.

Amid an atmosphere of mourning and simmering anger, reports emerged of a fresh bombing attack on Leilon Munlui village early Monday morning, injuring three youths identified as Genlenmang Vaiphei (15), Paogoulal Chongloi (18), a footballer associated with Mohun Bagan, and Lunliandaw Vaiphei (20), an internally displaced person.

The three injured youths were rushed to Imphal for treatment, with civil society organisations later expressing concern over reports that a hostile crowd had gathered outside the hospital where they were admitted.

The latest attack came as Hangshing's mortal remains were laid to rest with full traditional honours. His body was brought to Kangpokpi town on Sunday and kept overnight at the Town Committee Hall, where hundreds of residents paid their respects in a night-long vigil.

Following a post-mortem examination at the District Hospital on Monday morning, the body was taken to the Martyrs' Cemetery at Phaijang, where leaders of major Kuki-Zo civil society organisations, including the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) and the Sadar Hills Chiefs' Association, paid homage by draping traditional shawls over the coffin.

Kuki-Zo volunteers wrapped the coffin with the Kuki-Zo national flag and offered floral tributes before Rev. Thangsat Kipgen conducted the burial service. A ceremonial gun salute followed as mourners stood in silence.

The funeral, however, quickly turned into a renewed expression of outrage as community leaders condemned what they described as an unending cycle of violence targeting Kuki-Zo villages.

The Kuki Inpi Manipur condemned the Leilon attack as an act of terror against innocent civilians and accused NSCN-IM and ZUF-K militants of once again bringing fear and insecurity to the region.

"Justice must not be delayed. Peace cannot be restored without accountability," KIM said, demanding the immediate identification, arrest and prosecution of those responsible.

The organisation questioned what it termed the continued failure of authorities to rein in armed groups allegedly involved in repeated attacks on Kuki-Zo villages, warning that official inaction risked deepening public anger and mistrust.

The Leimakhong Area Chiefs' Organisation (LACO) also condemned the attack, alleging that NSCN/ZUF cadres launched the assault at around 6 a.m. and left three innocent youths seriously injured.

LACO raised serious concerns over reports that the attackers allegedly moved through areas under the watch of security forces and called for an impartial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the attack.

The organisation also referred to a video circulating on social media purportedly showing local women preventing an Indian Army column from entering the area while allowing only CRPF personnel to move, saying the developments had raised troubling questions that warranted immediate investigation.

Demanding accountability, LACO urged both the state and central governments to conduct a thorough probe and consider replacing the concerned CRPF deployment if public confidence could not be restored.

The organisation further reiterated the Kuki-Zo community's demand for a Separate Administration, arguing that repeated attacks, killings and insecurity over the past three years had demonstrated the urgent need for a lasting political solution.

Meanwhile, the indefinite total shutdown and economic blockade imposed by Kuki civil society organisations continued across Kangpokpi district, paralysing normal life and reflecting the deepening anger within the community.

As one victim was laid to rest amid tears and tributes, fresh bloodshed in a neighbouring village underscored the volatile security situation in the hill district, with community leaders warning that peace would remain elusive unless those behind attacks on civilians were swiftly brought to justice.