Manipur Communities Stage Sit-in Over Twin Civilian Attacks on NH-202

Community groups in Imphal staged a sit-in protest at Khuman Lampak on Monday, expressing outrage over two separate attacks on civilians that have shocked Manipur in recent weeks — the killing of two young children on April 7 and the ambush of Tangkhul Naga passengers on the Imphal-Ukhrul highway on April 18.

The protest was organised jointly by Tangkhul Avenue Village, Khuman Lampak Apunba Association, and Nagaram Village.

Two Incidents, One Protest

JK Raikhan, Chairman of Nagaram Village, explained the dual purpose of the demonstration in clear terms.

"This is a twin incident protest. On April 7, two innocent children were killed, and on April 18, innocent Tangkhul passengers travelling from Imphal to Ukhrul were ambushed. Two people were killed on the spot, many were injured, and several vehicles were damaged," he told ANI.

Demonstrators raised slogans against the alleged involvement of Kuki militants in both incidents, describing them as "barbaric acts against innocent civilians."

Also Read: Tensions persist in Manipur’s Ukhrul after deadly ambush kills two Naga civilians

The April 18 Ambush on NH-202

Protesters specifically condemned the ambush near TM Kasom in Ukhrul district on April 18, in which two Tangkhul Naga passengers were killed and several others injured when their vehicles came under attack on National Highway 202.

The highway, which connects Imphal to Ukhrul, has been the site of repeated incidents of armed violence during the ongoing conflict in the region.

The April 7 Children's Killing

The sit-in also renewed attention on the April 7 attack at Tronglaobi Awang Leikai in Moirang, where suspected militants hurled a bomb at a Meitei family's home in the early hours of the morning, killing a five-year-old boy and his five-month-old sister as they slept.

Their mother was injured in the attack. The family has since publicly rejected the government's ex-gratia offer, demanding justice and accountability instead.

Grief and Anger on the Ground

The protest at Khuman Lampak reflected the mounting frustration among civilian communities caught in the crossfire of Manipur's prolonged ethnic conflict.

Raikhan said the demonstration was organised to give voice to "deep grief and anger" over what demonstrators described as repeated, targeted attacks on unarmed civilians — attacks they say have gone without adequate response from authorities.