Fresh tension has been reported in Manipur’s Ukhrul district after two organisations representing Kuki and Naga communities issued sharply conflicting statements over an armed confrontation in a forested border area on April 28.

The Kuki CSO Working Committee, Ukhrul, alleged that suspected Tangkhul militant elements were detected along the Kampa Mol ridges, an area it described as shared cultivated land belonging to several Kuki villages including Yaolen Chepu, Mongkot Chepu, Lamlai Chingphei and Mulam.

According to the group, village volunteers launched a preventive patrol following local inputs about possible movement in the area. It claimed the volunteers encountered armed intruders inside what it termed Kuki village land, leading to an exchange of fire at around 11:10 am. The organisation said the patrol was aimed at protecting villagers amid repeated threats and incursions.

On the other hand, the Central Command of the Naga Village Guard (NVG) presented a different version of events. In a press communiqué, the NVG claimed that its members were conducting a routine inspection in the forested Horei Hill area under Ringui village jurisdiction after receiving reports of suspected illegal activities when they were allegedly fired upon by armed Kuki group at around 10:30 am.

The NVG further claimed that four of its members were injured in the incident. It also levelled allegations of poppy cultivation and narco-related activities in the area, calling for stronger action from the state and central governments.

Both sides have asserted territorial claims over the disputed region and accused the other of aggression, highlighting the continuing mistrust and volatility in parts of Ukhrul district.

There was no immediate independent confirmation of either side’s claims, and authorities had not issued an official statement on casualties, arrests or the exact sequence of events till the filing of this report.

The latest incident comes amid continuing ethnic and territorial tensions in Manipur, where sporadic clashes and competing land claims have kept several hill areas on edge. Security observers say an impartial inquiry and swift confidence-building measures will be essential to prevent further escalation.