Tensions flare up in Imphal as large crowd surrounds premier hospital over treatment of injured Kuki men
According to a senior police officer, an incident of firing had taken place in the area between Konsakhul, a Naga village, and Leilon Munlui, a Kuki-Zo village, at around 6 am on Monday.
Tensions escalated in Imphal on Monday as scores of people surrounded Manipur’s premier healthcare institute, the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), protesting the admission of three Kuki-Zo men who were brought in with bullet injuries following an incident of firing in Kangpokpi district in the morning.
According to a senior police officer, an incident of firing had taken place in the area between Konsakhul, a Naga village, and Leilon Munlui, a Kuki-Zo village, at around 6 am on Monday. This is an area that has seen heightened tensions in recent days due to the abduction of six Naga residents of Konsakhul on May 13 and the discovery of their bodies last week.
“According to reports received, there had been firing from both sides, and a total of three people were injured in L Munlui. All three were evacuated to RIMS and were taken by the CRPF and the Army since it is the only place that has the required medical facilities to treat their bullet injuries,” said the officer.
Tensions flare up in Imphal as large crowd surrounds premier hospital over treatment of injured Kuki menhttps://t.co/eKRoW3zvgF pic.twitter.com/0aXyBFSNNg
— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) June 15, 2026
Kuki groups have identified the three injured men as Genlenmang Vaiphei, Paugoulal and Lunliandaw Vaiphei, and said that they are “village volunteers” — an informal term used in Manipur to refer to armed men stationed at villages amid the ongoing conflict.
After news spread that three Kuki-Zo men had been brought to RIMS — a central government healthcare centre located in Imphal West — for medical treatment, protesters surrounded the institute. Many of the protesters were from the Naga community, and several were also from the Meitei community, who have been in conflict with the Kuki-Zo community since May 2023.
One of the key features of the conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities has been the restricted movement of people from one community to areas where the other community is in the majority, meaning restricted access to Imphal by members of the Kuki-Zo community. With a conflict flaring up between the Kuki-Zo and Naga communities as well now, Naga groups and individuals objected to the Kuki-Zo men being brought to the state capital for medical treatment by security forces, with many of the protestors referring to them as “militants”.
Security forces used teargas in the afternoon and evening to disperse the protesters. However, tensions have continued into the evening, with some protesters burning tyres on the approach road towards the institute.
Thangtinlen Haokip, a member of the Kangpokpi-based Committee on Tribal Unity, said, “This is a very terrible and unacceptable situation. RIMS is not for any particular community, but we have people saying that people from one particular community cannot go and take treatment there, and putting unwell and injured people in danger.”
The Churachandpur-based Kuki-Zo Council also called the incident “disturbing”.
“Such actions reinforce the painful perception that Kuki-Zo lives do not matter in Manipur,” the council said.
Tensions escalated in Imphal on Monday as scores of people surrounded Manipur’s premier healthcare institute, the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), protesting the admission of three Kuki-Zo men who were brought in with bullet injuries following an incident of firing in Kangpokpi district in the morning.
According to a senior police officer, an incident of firing had taken place in the area between Konsakhul, a Naga village, and Leilon Munlui, a Kuki-Zo village, at around 6 am on Monday. This is an area that has seen heightened tensions in recent days due to the abduction of six Naga residents of Konsakhul on May 13 and the discovery of their bodies last week.
“According to reports received, there had been firing from both sides, and a total of three people were injured in L Munlui. All three were evacuated to RIMS and were taken by the CRPF and the Army since it is the only place that has the required medical facilities to treat their bullet injuries,” said the officer.
Tensions flare up in Imphal as large crowd surrounds premier hospital over treatment of injured Kuki menhttps://t.co/eKRoW3zvgF pic.twitter.com/0aXyBFSNNg
— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) June 15, 2026
Kuki groups have identified the three injured men as Genlenmang Vaiphei, Paugoulal and Lunliandaw Vaiphei, and said that they are “village volunteers” — an informal term used in Manipur to refer to armed men stationed at villages amid the ongoing conflict.
After news spread that three Kuki-Zo men had been brought to RIMS — a central government healthcare centre located in Imphal West — for medical treatment, protesters surrounded the institute. Many of the protesters were from the Naga community, and several were also from the Meitei community, who have been in conflict with the Kuki-Zo community since May 2023.
One of the key features of the conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities has been the restricted movement of people from one community to areas where the other community is in the majority, meaning restricted access to Imphal by members of the Kuki-Zo community. With a conflict flaring up between the Kuki-Zo and Naga communities as well now, Naga groups and individuals objected to the Kuki-Zo men being brought to the state capital for medical treatment by security forces, with many of the protestors referring to them as “militants”.
Security forces used teargas in the afternoon and evening to disperse the protesters. However, tensions have continued into the evening, with some protesters burning tyres on the approach road towards the institute.
Thangtinlen Haokip, a member of the Kangpokpi-based Committee on Tribal Unity, said, “This is a very terrible and unacceptable situation. RIMS is not for any particular community, but we have people saying that people from one particular community cannot go and take treatment there, and putting unwell and injured people in danger.”
The Churachandpur-based Kuki-Zo Council also called the incident “disturbing”.
“Such actions reinforce the painful perception that Kuki-Zo lives do not matter in Manipur,” the council said.
