Civilians held captive, fresh tension in Manipur’s Ukhrul Fresh tension erupted in Manipur’s Ukhrul district after an alleged Kuki group reportedly detained 18 Nagas, including women and children, on March 11, 2026. The incident occurred when the hostages were traveling in three vehicles—two private cars and a commercial carrier—along National Highway 202, also known as the Ukhrul-Imphal Road. Their vehicles were stopped at Thawai Kuki village in the Shangkai area. The captives, some of whom were en route to a wedding, were reportedly stripped of their mobile phones, leaving their families in distress. The Litan police station, which oversees the village, has faced prior violence and arson in February after a Kuki group assaulted a Naga man during an alleged drunken brawl. The conflict followed an anti-poppy cultivation drive by Naga men, who reportedly detained a Kuki poppy cultivator, sparking retaliation. It remains unclear whether the Kuki man was released. Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh expressed “profound concern” over the situation and directed senior police and administrative officials to secure the release of the civilians while maintaining control in the district. He urged civil society organizations to help restore calm, appealing to those responsible for the incident to “uphold the highest traditions of humanity” and ensure the safe and unconditional release of all captives. The government assured families and the public that the matter was being treated seriously and that steps would be taken to prosecute the culprits. The Tangkhul Naga Long, the dominant Naga organization in the district, condemned the incident as a grave violation of human rights and a breakdown of law and order.#manipur #ukhrul_district #kuki_group #tangkhul_naga_long #shangkai_village_authority
