Imphal: Fresh violence reported from Manipur on May 29. A non-Manipuri truck driver lost his life on Friday after Kuki militants ambushed a convoy of civilian vehicles on National Highway 202 near Litan village.
The trucks were carrying FCI rice — food grain meant for civilian supply. The militants opened fire indiscriminately on the moving vehicles. The driver was hit and killed on the spot. BSF personnel rushed to the scene, recovered the body and immediately transported it to RIMS Hospital for post-mortem.
4 arrested in Naga civilian abduction case
On May 13, 2026, 18 individuals were abducted from Leilon Vaiphei in Kangpokpi district. On 14th 12 women children were released by the Kuki militant. But 6 male are still not being freed by the militants and there is no news on their whereabouts.
On May 27, a joint operation by Manipur Police, CRPF and Assam Rifles apprehended 4 individuals suspected to be involved in the mass abduction of Naga civilians.
The four individuals were arrested from the stretch between P. Molding and Leilon Vaiphei inter-village road. The arrested men have been identified as:
Thangkhomang Khongsai (51) — Patbung Village, Kangchup, Seikholet Khongsai (40) — Mongbung Tongneh, New Keithelmanbi, Lunminthang Dimngel (27) and Kamgoulal Khongsai (30), all are members of armed village volunteer groups.
Security forces suspect all four are active cadres of armed village volunteer groups operating in Kangpokpi district. They are allegedly involved in extortion, criminal intimidation and illegal possession of arms and ammunition. Whether they played a direct role in the May 13 abductions is under investigation.
However, eyewitnesses — including the wives of the abducted Naga civilians — say the men were not taken away by village volunteers. KNF militants are involved in the kidnapping, they said.
The accounts of the victims’ families directly contradict the official framing of the arrests. Investigators have not yet reconciled this discrepancy. The truth of what happened in Leilon Vaiphei is still to be established.
ANSAM four-day ultimatum
The All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) has issued stern warning against the failure of rescuing the abducted civilians.
On Thursday, the student body issued a sharp four-day ultimatum to the Manipur government — demanding immediate information on the whereabouts and safety of the six Liangmai Naga hostages, two of whom are pastors. The ultimatum takes effect from May 29.
ANSAM’s demands are clear: establish where the hostages are, confirm they are alive and unharmed, and facilitate their safe return to their families — all within four days.
ANSAM has threatened that Nagas may collectively boycott the present state government and push for withdrawal of support from Naga legislators currently backing it. That would be a significant political blow for a government already walking a tightrope.
