Imphal: In yet another heart-wrenching incident that underscores the deepening unrest in violence-scarred Manipur, an elderly Meitei farmer was shot in broad daylight while tending to his paddy field in Phubala village, Bishnupur district. The sudden attack on farmers has left the locals in shock.
The identity of the victim who was seriously injured in the suspected Kuki terrorist attack was not yet revealed by the administration. At the time of the attack the victim was working in his paddy field. According to eyewitnesses and local sources, the bullet came from a distance, allegedly fired by Kuki militant elements hiding in the nearby hilly terrain.
“He was just doing his work, bent over in the field. Then we heard a gunshot — he screamed, and blood started pouring from his arm,” said a fellow farmer, his voice trembling with emotion.
Fear in the paddy field
Phubala, is valley agricultural area in the epicenter of violence Bishupur district and the and the nearby Kuki localities threatening the Meitei farmers not to indulge in farming in their own land. On June 16 also Kuki miscreants targeted the Meitei farmers while they were engaged in the paddy field. Security forces rushed to the spot and took control of the situation.
“This isn’t random violence anymore — it feels targeted. The hills around us echo with gunshots, and our fields are no longer safe,” said a local youth who rushed the wounded farmer to a nearby medical center.
A KuKi militant group attack
While official confirmation is awaited, multiple local sources point to Kuki-linked armed groups with alleged ties to transnational narco-terror networks operating along the porous India-Myanmar border. These groups have increasingly been accused of fueling ethnic unrest and using civilian populations as pawns in a larger, darker game involving drugs, arms, and territory control.
“This isn’t just a communal conflict anymore. There are serious elements of narco-terrorism involved — and innocent villagers are paying the price,” said a retired army officer and conflict analyst based in Imphal. In November 2024, Sapam Sophia Leima, another Meitei armer was shot dead while farming in the same district.
In response to the attack by Kuki militants, security forces launched a search operation in and around Langchingmanbi, Heichanglok, and the western areas of Phubala village. During the course of the operation, security forces came under fire from unknown armed miscreants and the forces retaliated accordingly.
During the crossfire, one woman from Langchingmanbi village was found dead with a bullet injury. She was later identified as Mrs. Hoikholhing, wife of the village chief of Langchingmanbi.
Local police have attended to the incident and the deceased is being transported to District Hospital, Churachandpur for necessary legal formalities.
Cases have been registered in connection with the incidents, and investigation is underway.
Combined security forces are continuing search operations to nab the culprit(s). Every effort is being made to bring those responsible to justice at the earliest.
Additionally, security arrangements related to farming activities in the area will be reviewed. Adequate security shall be provided to ensure the safety of farmers in the fields and prevent recurrence of such incidents.
