Inside the house of Kalenjang village chief, armed men fired indiscriminately on September 26, 2026, killing two Naga civilians—Rocky and Kumar—and injuring a third and a fourth. The shots ricocheted through the modest dwelling, sending a shockwave through the village's quiet afternoon. The injured were rushed to a local hospital in Senapati for emergency care.
Local sources allege that the assailants belong to the Kuki tribe, though no official statement has yet identified the perpetrators. The incident follows a four‑civilian death in Kamjong district two days earlier, raising alarm over a rising tide of inter‑tribal violence along the India‑Myanmar frontier. Security forces are on high alert as the region's fragile peace teeters.
Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, who was attending a Silver Jubilee celebration at Don Bosco College in Maram, reacted swiftly by condemning the act as a "cowardly act of violence" and promising a thorough investigation. He also urged local law‑enforcement units to tighten patrols and called for a rapid response to quell further unrest.
The attack coincided with the United Naga Council's decision to suspend its economic blockade, a move brokered after talks with the Centre and state authorities. The blockade had been a bargaining chip in the council's demands for justice over the May abductions of six Naga men, whose bodies were recovered in June. The timing of the violence has intensified scrutiny over the efficacy of the cease‑fire negotiations.
Police have opened a probe into the shooting and are collecting forensic evidence at the scene, while the state government has indicated it will convene a security council meeting within the next 48 hours to assess measures. An independent inquiry is expected to be announced by the end of next week, as the government seeks to reassure the affected communities.