Tensions have flared again in Manipur's Kangpokpi district after a Kuki-Zo man was shot and wounded in a designated buffer zone late on the night of April 8, triggering protests and a shutdown call by a tribal organisation.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about the fragility of peace efforts in the conflict-hit state.
The shooting took place at around 10 PM at Shantipur — a notified buffer area situated between Gamgiphai in Kangpokpi district and Sekmai in Imphal West district.
Three Kuki-Zo men were present at the location when the incident occurred. One of them sustained a bullet wound to his left arm and was rushed to a hospital in Kangpokpi, where doctors successfully performed surgery to remove the bullet. Medical officials confirmed he is currently stable and under observation, with no immediate threat to his life.
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Following the incident, the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) announced a 24-hour shutdown in Kangpokpi, running from midnight on April 9 to midnight on April 10. The shutdown will also affect traffic on National Highway-2, a key route connecting the hill regions of Manipur.
In its statement, CoTU strongly condemned the shooting, alleging that armed Meitei militants targeted three Kuki-Zo civilians at close range in the buffer zone. The organisation described the incident as a serious blow to ongoing peace efforts and questioned the effectiveness of security arrangements in such sensitive areas.
CoTU clarified that the shutdown will not affect essential services. Medical care, water and power supply, funeral processions, and travel for air passengers are all exempt from the restrictions.
Local residents expressed concern that repeated incidents in fringe and sensitive areas are disrupting the gradual return to normalcy in the district.
Some pointed to gaps in security deployment in buffer zones, warning that such lapses are eroding public trust and could reignite wider tensions.
CoTU reiterated that buffer zones must be strictly respected and remain free from violations, calling for swift identification and legal action against those responsible for the shooting.