The situation at the Litan Sareikhong of Ukhrul District, Manipur remains tense and volatile with burning of houses and the threat to their existence due to the presence of suspected armed Kuki militants, as alleged by the villagers.
Police informed that “since the eruption of violence on 7 February 2026, a total of 70 houses have been razed to the ground till date”.
“On Thursday, fresh violence erupted again and three houses were burnt by unknown miscreants” informed Police
Displaced villagers of Tangkhul Naga who had fled their home at Litan Sareikhong because of the violence on Thursday returned to their ancestral land and demanded immediate rehabilitation to their ancestral home. They demanded the authority for immediate removal of the presence of suspected Kuki armed militants at the vicinity.
A scuffle broke out between the villagers and security forces this morning. To control the situation, security forces deployed at the vicinity resorted to firing of tear gas of low intensity. The security forces were stopped by the womenfolk from entering the village because they have no trust in the armed forces stationed there. The villagers alleged that the security forces are working hand in glove with the suspected armed Kuki militants. Sheltering and giving free movement to the suspected Kuki militant. They fear that their lives and properties will be in danger if the security forces are allowed to enter and stationed inside the village along the river side.
Villagers alleged that on Thursday morning, suspected Kuki militants in full combat dress were seen moving across the river, opposite Litan Sareikhong and involved in attacking the villagers with automatic weapons. They also alleged that the militants fired from the hill top too.
The villagers lamented that they are homeless and need immediate ration and wish to return to their ancestral home. They vow to defend their ancestral land and appeal the authority to immediately flush out the Kuki militants as well as remove the security forces stationed at Litan Sareikhong.
On being asked why the concerned authority has failed to control the firing from the adjacent hills by suspected armed militants, the DC of Ukhrul stated that “the geography is so vast that anybody can penetrate, every force is new in this area, we are trying to dominate the hills, almost all the adjacent hills are dominated. The problem is that, when the protests are happening here, when the firing is happening here, everybody has to be rushed here. So actually it is affecting our dominating exercise. You have to understand that too. Give us time to entirely control and sanitise the area. If two three days without any incident is there, we can sanitise the entire area.”
Deputy Commissioner of Ukhrul, Asish Das assured the villagers that their immediate needs will be taken care and necessary action will be initiated to bring back normalcy in the region. He added that “to bring back peace and normalcy in the area, the concerned authority needs the cooperation of the villagers”. He also informed that essential goods and materials are also being provided to the displaced villagers as immediate relief.
The villagers from both the communities are facing hardship. The conflict has spread to nearby villages such as Litan (Touzi No. 36). The dwelling house of Headman of Litan was completely razed to the ground on the night of Sunday. “We were already in bed. Suddenly a petrol bomb exploded on the roof of our house followed by a burst of gunfire. Fearing for our life we ran for safety. While crossing the river my mother and sister sprained their ankle” narrated Khanringpam Vashum, Headman of Litan. His family are homeless and now taking shelter at one of his relatives at Ukhrul. Like the Headman of Litan, there are many families from both the communities who are homeless and have fled Litan Sareikhong and taken shelter at different places.
Even after entering 6 days of conflict at Litan Sareikhong between the Tangkhul Naga and Kuki communities, the concerned authority has not come out with a definite roadmap for bringing peace or to end the ongoing conflict.
