SENAPATI, April 5: In a fresh outbreak of violence, armed Kuki miscreants attacked members of the Liangmai Naga community in Konsaram village on Saturday morning, severely injuring two village leaders.
According to reports, around armed Kuki men and boys descended upon Zeliangrong Colony in Konsaram, which is primarily inhabited by the Liangmai Naga community. During the attack, seven to eight individuals were reportedly assaulted, with Village Chief Aimson Abonmai (65) and Village Chairman D. Adam (40) sustaining serious injuries. The assailants also vandalised vehicles belonging to the victims. Both injured leaders were rushed to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal for urgent medical attention.
The incident has sparked fresh concerns over the deteriorating security situation in the region, even as the Centre continues to engage both Kuki and Meitei stakeholders in peace talks in New Delhi.
This is not the first time the Liangmai community has come under attack. On January 7, 2025, a Liangmai woman working on farmland in Konsakhul was reportedly assaulted by armed miscreants, who also destroyed her mobile phone. The incident ignited anger and unrest across the region. Protests erupted two days later, on January 9, in Konsakhul and nearby villages, with Liangmai residents decrying the repeated targeting of civilians and accusing the authorities of inaction.
Meanwhile, the President of the Indigenous People’s Forum Manipur (IPFM), Ashang Kasar, strongly condemned the latest assault on Liangmai village leaders. Speaking to the media after visiting the injured at RIMS, Kasar said, “Attacking the leaders of the Liangmai Naga tribe is tantamount to targeting the entire Naga community. In our tradition, village chiefs and chairman are accorded the highest respect. Assaulting them is a direct violation of Naga customary law and an attack on the dignity of indigenous people.”
Additionally, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has also weighed in on the incident. COCOMI members also visited the Village Chief Aimson Abonmai, who is undergoing treatment at RIMS. Eight other injured individuals are receiving medical care at Khurkhul PHC.
