In Manipur, mob protests hospital treatment of 3 Kukis injured in armed attack

Subscribed with another email? Logout and Login with that one. Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription The View From India Looking at World Affairs from the Indian perspective. First Day First Show News and reviews from the world of cinema and streaming. Today's Cache Your download of the top 5 technology stories of the day. Science For All The weekly newsletter from science writers takes the jargon out of science and puts the fun in! Data Point Decoding the headlines with facts, figures, and numbers THEdge At the cutting edge of education and careers Health Matters Ramya Kannan writes to you on getting to good health, and staying there Gender Agenda Stories from beyond the binary. The Hindu On Books Books of the week, reviews, excerpts, new titles and features. Published - June 15, 2026 10:22 pm IST - GUWAHATI Protesters run as security personnel fire tear gas shells to disperse the crowd during a protest demanding that medical treatment be denied to three Kuki youths admitted with injuries sustained in a reported gunfight at the main gate of RIMS Hospital, in Imphal on Monday (June 15, 2026). | Photo Credit: ANI Security personnel on Monday (June 15, 2026) wielded batons and fired tear gas shells to disperse a mob that gathered outside the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Manipur capital Imphal to oppose the treatment being given in the hospital to three Kuki persons injured in an attack. Officials in the conflict-scarred State said the three were injured in a gunfight at a place between Leilon Vaiphei and Konsakhul villages in Kangpokpi district at about 6 a.m. The gunfight continued for about 30 minutes before the security forces reached the spot. The Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), an apex body of the Kuki group of tribes, blamed the attack on the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) and its “proxy”, the Kamson faction of the Zeliangrong United Front. The NSCN is also known as the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland. A crowd gathered outside the RIMS after receiving news that the security forces had taken the three injured Kuki persons there for treatment. The crowd opposed the treatment of the trio, claiming they were extremists, and shouted slogans against the security forces for “transporting” them to the RIMS. Kuki organisations, however, claimed that the injured — teenagers Genlengmang Vaiphei and Paogoulal, and 20-year-old Lunliandaw Vaiphei — were students who served as village volunteers. Reacting to the protests, the Leimakhong Area Chief’s Organisation (in the Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district) urged authorities to ensure that they received medical care in a safe and secure environment. The KIM also expressed concern about the safety of the injured trio and said attacks against civilians were unacceptable, inhuman, and a direct threat to the rule of law. “The people of Leilon Vaiphei and the surrounding areas cannot be expected to live under fear while armed groups continue to operate with apparent freedom and impunity,” it said. It demanded immediate and decisive action from the government and security forces to identify, arrest, and prosecute all those involved in the attack. “This is not a one-time incident. The pattern is clear; attacks on our villages are continuing day by day, deliberately targeting civilian settlements and spreading terror among innocent people,” the Vaiphei People’s Council said. The ethnic conflict in Manipur began in May 2023 between the non-tribal Meitei people, who dominate the Imphal Valley, and the Kuki-Zo people, who largely inhabit the surrounding hills. Last February, the conflict shifted to the hill districts between the Kuki-Zo and the Nagas, mostly hill dwellers. The conflict in the hills intensified since May 13, when unidentified gunmen ambushed and killed three Thadou church leaders in Kangpokpi district. A section of the Thadous resents being clubbed in the Kuki group. The killing of the church leaders triggered a hostage crisis between the Kukis and Nagas. Alleged Kuki extremists abducted 18 Nagas from Leilon Vaiphei village on May 13. While 12 of them were released on May 15, the “mutilated and dismembered” bodies of six of them were recovered last week, stoking anger among the Nagas. More than 270 people have lost their lives, and over 62,000 have been displaced in Manipur’s ethnic conflicts so far. Manipur / unrest, conflicts and war / civil unrest / hospital and clinic Copyright© 2026, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. Terms & conditions | Institutional Subscriber Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments. We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to enga

In Manipur, mob protests hospital treatment of 3 Kukis injured in armed attack

Key takeaways

Also covered by

In Manipur, mob protests hospital treatment of 3 Kukis injured in armed attack

Key takeaways

Also covered by

More in international