The violence unfolded around 7 a.m. on Monday in Khongbal Sunurok Uyok, a forested area on the border of Imphal East and Kangpokpi districts, just metres from Nongshum village. Sixteen men had left their homes to collect firewood when they were ambushed. Two died instantly: Arubam Ronil, 35, and Lairenlakpam Inaobi, 51. Four others were hit by bullets, and three remain missing, according to local officials.
The response was immediate and visceral. Angry locals did not wait for official statements. They carried one of the bodies through the streets of Imphal and dumped it at the main gate of the Chief Minister’s residence in Babupara. Security personnel stationed outside were caught off guard. There was no confirmation whether Chief Minister Y. Khemchand Singh was inside the bungalow when the body was placed there.
Police moved in with tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. The bodies were subsequently shifted to the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS). One of the injured, identified as Ksh Deven, is in critical condition. This incident adds fuel to a fire that has been burning since May 2023, when ethnic tensions erupted into sustained insurgency and cross-border violence.
The state’s security apparatus is under intense scrutiny. The next few hours will determine whether the government issues a formal response to the protest or if further unrest spreads from Imphal. The search for the three missing men remains ongoing.