A Naga Village Guard member was killed and five others, including two CRPF CoBRA personnel, were injured in a gunfight during a security operation in Manipur’s Noney district on Wednesday.
A member of the Naga Village Guard (NVG) was killed and five others, including two personnel of the CRPF’s CoBRA battalion, were injured in an exchange of fire between security forces and Naga village volunteers during a search operation in Manipur’s Noney district on Wednesday, officials said.
According to officials, the gunfight broke out at around 6 am near Bitiang village under the Tupul subdivision when a CoBRA team launched a search operation following intelligence inputs about an alleged NVG training camp operating in the area.
The victim was identified as Lanbimei Riamei (22), a resident of Longmai Bazar in Noney district. He reportedly sustained bullet injuries during the exchange of fire and later succumbed to his injuries.
Officials said two CoBRA personnel, Head Constable Radheshyam and Constable (GD) Jitendra Kumar, were injured during the operation. Three NVG members also sustained gunshot wounds and are expected to be shifted to Imphal for specialised treatment. Authorities have not officially confirmed their identities.
Following the encounter, authorities deployed additional security forces, including the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and state police, in the area. Search operations continued to prevent any further escalation.
A security official said the exchange of fire took place during an operation launched on the basis of specific intelligence inputs. Police have not released further details, and the circumstances that led to the firing remain under investigation.
Meanwhile, the Working Committee–Joint Tribe Council, Manipur (WC-JTCM), a Naga tribal body, announced an emergency total shutdown across Naga-inhabited areas of the state in protest against the security operation.
In a statement, the organisation alleged that the operation targeted Naga village volunteers and described it as an “unprovoked attack”. It also linked the incident to the recent killing of six Naga civilians, including two church pastors, alleging that those responsible have not yet been brought to justice.
The tribal body announced the immediate suspension of movement on national highways, railway projects and other national infrastructure works passing through areas inhabited by the Inpui, Liangmai, Rongmei and Zeme communities.
