A woman was killed and her husband and son seriously injured in an alleged attack by unidentified armed miscreants on a small and remote Kuki settlement in Manipur.

The incident took place around 4 am at Tollen village along the National Highway (NH)-37 in the Tousem sub-division of Tamenglong district.

Responding to the incident, Assam Rifles personnel from the Kaimai base rescued the injured father and son and moved them to Jiribam for urgent medical treatment. The deceased has been identified as Lhingzangai Singsit.

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The attack occurred on Black Day (September 13), which is observed by the Kuki community as an annual day of mourning to commemorate the loss of lives during the Kuki-Naga ethnic conflict in the early 1990s.

Moreover, it has also raised fresh concerns over the safety of civilians living along NH-37 amid the ongoing conflict in Manipur. The sensitive corridor connects Imphal and Jiribam.

Kuki Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Manipur condemned the attack and called for an immediate, impartial and thorough investigation into the incident. They have also demanded that those responsible be identified and prosecuted on the basis of credible evidence and due process.

Additionally, the CSOs called for stronger intelligence gathering and preventive security measures, particularly to protect women, children and other vulnerable civilians.

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The Kaimai Naga Village Authority has also condemned the attack, describing the perpetrators as an unidentified group and expressing concern that the incident could create suspicion and division among communities living in the region.

In a brief condemnation letter issued on Sunday, the village authority, too, appealed to the authorities to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation, while urging all communities to exercise restraint, and community leaders and CSOs to reaffirm peace and understanding.

The Kuki settlement of Tollen has a population of 250 people in 54 households. Meanwhile, Kaimai, which is about three kilometres away, is predominantly inhabited by the Naga people.