Two Tribal Women Killed on Farms in Manipur's Jiribam; Farmhouses Torched

Two tribal women were shot dead at Leisang Kuki village in Manipur's Jiribam district on Tuesday afternoon, in a fresh outbreak of violence along the Jiribam-Tamenglong boundary. Several farmhouses in and around the area were also reportedly set ablaze, deepening concerns over the safety of civilians in vulnerable settlements.

The victims were attacked while working on their farms at around 3 pm, local sources said. They were identified as Chonga Sitlhou, 60, and Kimboi Singson, 30, both residents of Leisang village. Chonga Sitlhou was gathering firewood at her farm when she came under fire, while Kimboi Singson, who had recently completed her nursing studies and returned home to help her parents with farming, was also killed.

Several other villagers who had gone to their respective farms remained unaccounted for after the attack. The number of missing persons and the final casualty figure were unclear at the time of filing, with information from the remote area still emerging.

The torching of farmhouses has raised concerns over the destruction of civilian property and agricultural livelihoods, in addition to the loss of life.

The attack came barely two days after four tribal civilians, including a married couple, were killed in separate incidents at Tollen village in Tamenglong district and Longpi village in Noney district on September 13. Those killings had already triggered widespread condemnation and demands for an immediate National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe, along with stronger security for vulnerable settlements.

Despite the security concerns, villagers continue to access their farms to sustain their families. The fresh violence at Leisang has further deepened worries over the safety of residents living along the Jiribam-Tamenglong belt, particularly those dependent on remote agricultural fields for their livelihood.

The sequence of attacks at Tollen, Longpi and now Leisang is likely to intensify demands from Kuki-Zo civil society organisations for immediate security reinforcement, protection of vulnerable settlements, a time-bound investigation and stringent action against those responsible.