Fresh violence has erupted in Manipur after five Kuki men were killed in two separate incidents in Kangpokpi and Noney districts. The recovery of two missing men’s bodies in Kangpokpi on Sunday triggered protests and clashes between demonstrators and security forces, further escalating tensions in the region.

The two incidents took place on Saturday and Sunday. While three men were killed in a reported exchange of gunfire between two unidentified armed groups in Noney district on Saturday, the bodies of two missing men were recovered during a joint security operation in Kangpokpi on Sunday.

Two missing Kuki men found dead in Kangpokpi

The two deceased men were identified as Paoginlal Hangsing and Tinginlun Chongloi, both aged 20. They had gone missing from Taphou Kuki village on October 28.

Their disappearance had prompted the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), Sadar Hills, to announce a shutdown across Kangpokpi district.

According to the Manipur Police Control Room, multiple search operations were launched after the two men went missing.

On Sunday, a joint team comprising Manipur Police, the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Assam Rifles and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) conducted an extensive search operation in the area east of National Highway-2 along the SP Road.

The operation resulted in the recovery of two bodies. Official sources subsequently confirmed that they belonged to the missing men.

The bodies were initially taken to Kangpokpi District Hospital, where large crowds gathered after their deaths were confirmed.

Protests and clashes erupt in Kangpokpi

The recovery of the bodies triggered protests and clashes in Kangpokpi, prompting security forces to step up efforts to control the situation.

As tensions escalated, police shifted the bodies to the Superintendent of Police’s office in Kangpokpi. Demonstrators continued their protest, following which security personnel fired several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the crowds.

Protesters also blocked National Highway-2, while shops, business establishments and private institutions across the district remained closed as part of the shutdown called by CoTU.

The organisation subsequently announced that it would not claim the bodies of the two men until the government fulfilled its demands, including the immediate removal of Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho.

CoTU spokesperson Ng Lun Kipgen said the shutdown had been extended by another 24 hours on Saturday in the hope that Dikho would intervene with people in Senapati district to secure the safe release of the two missing Kuki-Zo youths.

However, the two men were later found dead.

Three Kuki men killed in separate Noney incident

In a separate incident on Saturday, three Kuki men were killed in a reported exchange of gunfire between two unidentified armed groups at Kekru Naga village in Manipur’s Noney district.

The village falls under Nungba Police Station and is located approximately eight kilometres from the police station.

The deceased were identified as Thanglensang Singson, Thangkhosei Haokip and Lamminsang Kipgen.

Thanglensang Singson originally belonged to Maojang village and was residing at Tuinom in Thanlon subdivision of Churachandpur district.

Thangkhosei Haokip was a resident of Thinghibung village in Henglep subdivision of Churachandpur district, while Lamminsang Kipgen hailed from Phaibong village in the same subdivision.

Local sources said tensions had been building in the surrounding areas for several days before the fatal incident. However, the specific circumstances that led to the exchange of gunfire remain unclear.

Kuki tribal body alleges involvement of armed groups

Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), the apex body of the Kuki tribes, condemned the killings and alleged that cadres of the NSCN-IM and ZUF(K) were responsible.

The organisation also alleged that the bodies of the deceased had been desecrated. It accused the authorities of failing to provide adequate security to vulnerable Kuki-Zo settlements in Noney district and demanded accountability and immediate measures to protect civilians.

However, the allegations against NSCN-IM and ZUF(K) have not been independently verified. Police have not identified those responsible for the killings.

Police said necessary legal formalities and other procedures were underway. Search and combing operations would continue to identify and apprehend those responsible.

The circumstances surrounding the deaths of the two missing men in Kangpokpi and the three killings in Noney remain under investigation.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has taken a dig at the Congress over an alleged AI-generated photograph showing a massive gathering at the INDIA bloc’s rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan.

In a post on X on Sunday, Rijiju accused the Congress of sharing an artificially generated image to create the impression that the venue was packed with supporters. Taking a swipe at the party, he suggested that even the purported AI-generated photograph had not been created properly.

“Even the fake AI photo to show that Ramlila ground was full is not done properly by the fake narrative team of Congress Party!” Rijiju wrote.

His remarks came after the INDIA bloc organised a rally at Ramlila Maidan on November 1, bringing together several Opposition leaders to protest against alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

BJP questions Congress’s claim of 10 lakh attendees

The controversy over the photograph came amid a political dispute between the BJP and Congress over the number of people who attended the Opposition rally.

Ahead of the gathering, the INDIA bloc had projected an attendance of around 10 lakh people. However, BJP leaders questioned the claim following the event.

BJP MP Sambit Patra alleged that a significant portion of Ramlila Maidan remained vacant during the rally. He claimed that around 5,000 to 7,000 chairs out of the 28,000 at the venue were unoccupied between 3:30 pm and 4 pm.

Patra also claimed that approximately 40 per cent of the ground was empty, questioning the Opposition’s projected attendance figure.

These claims formed part of the BJP’s criticism of the rally’s turnout.

INDIA bloc rally targeted Election Commission

The November 1 gathering was organised by the INDIA bloc to protest against alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Election Commission and the SIR exercise.

The Opposition’s demands included accountability over the electoral roll revision process and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Several prominent Opposition leaders attended the gathering, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav.

During his address, Rahul Gandhi accused the Chief Election Commissioner of facilitating alleged vote theft and said the Opposition would continue its fight to protect the Constitution through peaceful and democratic means.

The rally and the subsequent exchanges between BJP and Congress leaders brought the dispute over electoral rolls and crowd attendance into sharper political focus.

The Opposition INDIA bloc has begun its public impeachment proceedings against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi. Several prominent Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, are present at the programme.

The event is being conducted as a symbolic protest against Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of irregularities in the electoral process and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar is presiding over the proceedings, while Mallikarjun Kharge is leading the initiative by moving the motion against the Chief Election Commissioner. Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to deliver the concluding remarks.

The programme was organised at Kharge’s residence at 10, Rajaji Marg, after the Opposition’s original schedule was disrupted by rainfall in Delhi. The event, initially planned for Friday, was postponed to Saturday.

Why the INDIA bloc organised the public impeachment

The Opposition has been demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, raising concerns over the functioning of the Election Commission and alleged irregularities in electoral rolls.

The dispute has largely centred on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise and allegations of ‘vote chori’ (vote theft) raised by Opposition parties.

The INDIA bloc has maintained that the proceedings are intended to provide a platform for discussing concerns related to the electoral system and bringing together parties opposing the CEC.

How the proceedings are being conducted

The programme follows a format resembling parliamentary proceedings, although it is a symbolic political exercise rather than a formal constitutional impeachment process.

Mallikarjun Kharge is moving the motion, with Meira Kumar presiding over the proceedings. Representatives of participating Opposition parties are expected to speak, while Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to make the concluding remarks before the motion is adopted.

The public impeachment programme is also part of the Opposition’s wider campaign against Gyanesh Kumar, with INDIA bloc parties planning a rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on November 1.

The Opposition has been raising concerns over the SIR exercise and alleged irregularities in electoral rolls, describing them as issues affecting voters’ rights and the electoral process. These allegations have been central to its campaign against the CEC.

The public impeachment programme was initially scheduled for October 30 but was postponed because of continuous rainfall in the national capital. It was subsequently rescheduled for October 31 at the same venue.

The event also comes ahead of the INDIA bloc’s planned November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi, where Opposition parties intend to continue their campaign over allegations of vote theft and electoral irregularities.