Village volunteer killed, CRPF personnel injured in Manipur gunfight

Imphal, July 29 (AHN) A member of the Naga Village Guard (NVG) was killed and five others, including two personnel of the CoBRA battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), were reported injured during an armed confrontation in Noney district on Wednesday, officials said.

According to officials, the incident occurred at Bitiang village in the Naga-majority district when security forces, which were conducting an operation in the area, came under fire from armed village volunteers, triggering a gunfight.

Village volunteers belonging to different ethnic communities in Manipur are armed civilians who guard their respective localities against hostile attacks. Such volunteer groups emerged in several parts of the state following the outbreak of ethnic violence in Manipur in May 2023.

Police officials said that one village volunteer was killed in the exchange of fire, while three others sustained injuries. Two CRPF personnel also suffered splinter injuries during the gunfight. The injured security personnel were provided medical treatment, officials added.

Following the incident, members of the local tribal community staged protests against the security operation carried out by the CRPF in and around the villages.

The Working Committee of JTC-Manipur (Inpui, Liangmai, Rongmei and Zeme) on Wednesday announced an immediate emergency shutdown of all National Highways, railway projects and national projects passing through the territories of the four Naga communities.

In a statement, the committee alleged that the shutdown was called in protest against the abduction and killing of six Naga civilians on May 13 and an alleged attack on Naga Volunteer Groups (NVG) at Bitiang village earlier on Wednesday.

The organisation accused the CoBRA Team and ZUF-J of involvement in the attack and demanded the arrest of those responsible, an end to operations against Naga villages, and restoration of justice.

The committee said essential services, including medical facilities, schools and colleges, PHED, electricity and telecommunication services, would remain exempted from the shutdown. It added that the shutdown would continue until the Government of India takes what it described as decisive action on its demands.

The Naga Village Guard-Eastern Command (NVG-EC), in a separate statement, expressed strong resentment against the operation and armed assault undertaken by the troops of the CoBRA Unit and cadres of the Zeliangrong United Front-Jenchui (ZUF-J) group against the Naga Village Guards, which resulted in the killing of one person and injuring three others at Bitiang village under Noney district on Wednesday.

Manipur has remained affected by ethnic tensions since May 2023, when large-scale violence broke out between the Meitei community in the Imphal Valley and the Kuki-Zo tribal communities residing in the hill districts. The conflict has claimed the lives of at least 260 people and displaced thousands from their homes.

Following the prolonged ethnic unrest and the resignation of the then Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, President’s Rule was imposed in Manipur on February 13, 2025. The Central rule remained in force for nearly a year before being revoked on February 4, 2026, after the formation of a new government in the state.