Leitanpokpi tense after Kukis obstruct Meetei farmers
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, June 15 2025: Tensions flared at Leitanpokpi village in Imphal East district bordering Kangpokpi district on Sunday after Kuki villagers obstructed Meetei farmers from tilling the paddy farms at Sadu Lampak.

According to reports from the spot, some Meetei farmers from Leitanpokpi village went with tractors to plough their paddy fields at Sadu Lampak near a Kuki settlement on Sunday morning after taking permission from BSF officials present there.

However, trouble started at about 10am when some Kuki villagers descended from the nearby hills and objected to the farming activities.

BSF personnel deployed for protection of the farmers tried to stop the Kukis but were unable to push the obstructors back.

As tensions rose up between the two sides, Kukis started pelting stones and used slingshots to attack the Meetei farmers.

After some Meetei villagers from Leitanpokpi and nearby areas rushed in to spot a fierce confrontation of stone pelting ensued.

A farmer who went to plough the paddy fields told media persons that Songphen Kuki village near Sadu Lampak is on the other side of the Likli canal which flows nearby the paddy field with large tract of farmland belonging to the Meetei are also on the western side of the canal.

The Kukis obstructed ploughing activities claiming the paddy fields of Sadu Lampak belonged to them.

Apart from Sadu Lampak paddy fields, around 15 'Paris' of paddy fields had already been used by the Kukis as Meeteis cannot enter the area, the farmer informed.

As news of the incident spread far and wide, many people from Leitanpokpi and nearby villages rushed to the spot forcihg the Kuki perpetrators to retract from the area.

On the other hand, villagers of Leitanpokpi and nearby areas strongly alleged that a BSF company deployed in the area is unable to protect villagers and allow farmers to cultivate land.

They demanded immediate re placement of the BSF company with another one which could protect villagers and farmers.

A late report said that large number of Imphal East district police and central forces have been deployed to prevent unwanted incident in the area.

Notably, many paddy fields lying in the borders of Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts with Bishnupur, Kakching, Imphal West and Imphal East districts remain uncultivable since the violence erupted in May, 2023 .

Leitanpoki is one such areas affected by the violence.

According to sources, at least three persons sustained minor injuries in the incident.

One Nandeibam Mobi, a Meetei farmer who went to plough the held, told reporters, "The held at Sadu Lampak was not attended during the last two years due to the conflict, but with the situation improving, Meetei farmers went to plough the land.

We had taken permission from security forces.

Today, when we started working, a large number of Kuki villagers came down from a nearby hill village and objected to our presence on our own land, claiming it as theirs" .

The low-lying Leitanpokpi area has witnessed numerous incidents of armed clashes between Kuki and Meetei groups since violence erupted in the state in May 2023.Local sources informed that security forces are continuously attending to the situation and right now things are under control.

They added that extra forces are monitoring the area closely.

The farmer told the security forces that he owned the land, and took his tractor to the paddy field on Sunday morning when a group of people from the Kuki tribes objected to ploughing it, claiming the land in Leitanpokpi village belonged to them.

Another villager said: "We had chased away some squatters earlier, but our village elders requested to let them be due to the conflict.

Now, they have now occupied that land because we have not been going there for a while".

The villagers said the matter will be easily solved by looking at the land ownership papers, or pattas.

They also appealed for calm.

Some videos are circulating saying Kukis have come down to stop Meetei farmers, which security authorities claimed were rumours.

An X user by the handle 'Nampiromeokuki' alleged the state police took part in an attack by Meeteis on a Kuki village.

Manipur, which is under the President's rule, has set up cyber-crime cells attached to police stations in most district headquarters to swiftly track and deal with people whose online misinformation can lead to violence on the ground.

Land disputes in the state bordering Myanmar are also common amid the conflict.

The foothills where Meetei and Kuki villagers share borders are especially sensitive.

The Kuki and the Naga tribes, too, have had tense moments in the last one year in Konsakhul village over claiming land ownership.

When the violence was at its peak,.

Meetei farmers had alleged Kuki insurgents would open fire whenever they went to plough their fields in the foothills.

The Kuki tribes had alleged they were often Meetei insurgents disguised as farmers who were coming to attack Kuki villages.

(With inputs from agencies) .

Comment