Manipur: Four individuals, including a married couple, were killed and a six-year-old child was injured following two separate gun attacks by unidentified assailants in Manipur’s Tamenglong district on Sunday. The fatal incidents took place approximately ten hours apart in two separate villages, triggering security concerns across the region as authorities launched an investigation to track down the perpetrators.
The initial violence unfolded at approximately 5:30 a.m. in Tollen village, where armed assailants opened fire on a family. A 46-year-old woman, identified as Lhingzangai Singsit, died on the spot from gunshot wounds. Her husband, Seineh Singsit, and their six-year-old child sustained severe injuries and were transported toward Silchar Medical College in neighbouring Assam for urgent medical care. Officials confirmed that the husband succumbed to his wounds en route to the hospital, while the child remains admitted in stable condition. Condemning the act, the Kaimai village authority stated that the assault was a deliberate attempt to sow discord and division among local communities, urging law enforcement to carry out a rigorous and impartial inquiry.
Around 3:00 p.m. the same day, a second shooting occurred in Longpi village, located roughly 30 kilometres west of the local police jurisdiction. A man and a woman lost their lives during the assault. Police officials noted that rugged terrain and non-motorable roads initially hampered law enforcement teams from reaching the remote location, with formal on-site investigations scheduled to commence immediately. A local community group identified the victims as Jilie Singson and Reol Gangte, alleging that the attackers retreated after exchanging gunfire with local village volunteers. The violence coincided with the annual observance of September 13, marked regionally to remember victims of 1990s ethnic strife.
Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh expressed profound anguish over the bloodshed, describing the assaults on innocent civilians as unacceptable and cowardly acts that have no place in civil society. Police confirmed that no group has formally claimed responsibility for either attack, and security operations continue to identify those involved.
