TNL serves 3-day ultimatum to Government
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 14 2026: Even as many organisations condemned the killing of four civilians in an ambush at New Haven yesterday, the Working Committee of the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) has served a 3-day ultimatum to the Centre and the State Government to "drive out Kuki terrorists from Naga areas, hand over the case to the NIA and immediately withdraw Central security forces from the incident site" .

In statements it released yesterday, the TNL said that the public has completely lost faith in the Central security forces, and it holds the Governments solely responsible for failing to protect civilian lives.

The TNL said it vehemently condemns repeated attacks and killing of Naga civilians by Kuki militants.

An emergency meeting of Tangkhul Naga civil society organisations was held yesterday evening at the office of the TNL and it resolved to unequivocally issue a 3-day public ultimatum to the State and Central Governments to drive out the Kuki terrorists from the Naga areas, hand over the case to the NIA, and withdraw Central security forces deployed in the incident site.

Until the demands are met, the TNL said that the victims' families have resolved not to claim the bodies.

Failing to address the ultimatum will also invite "indefinite agitation until justice is delivered", it added.

Notably, the ambush carried out by suspected Kuki militants at New Haven along the National Highway-202 yesterday killed four civilians, including a mother and son and two siblings, travelling to Imphal in two separate vehicles.

The deceased were identified as Kapangkhui RS and Haoleila RS of Shangshak Village, Tychicus Ngalung and VR Tanmila of Tashar Village.

Kapangkhui RS and his mother Haoleila RS were travelling in a Maruti Swift car, while the siblings, Tychicus and Tanmila were travelling in a Bolero Pickup Truck when they were ambushed and killed just 350 metres from reaching the New Haven point.

Highlighting that similar incidents of ambush have taken place along the highway in TM Kasom area in the past, the TNL said three persons were killed in two separate attacks on April 18 and May 29, 2026 .

While an IRB personnel was injured in another attack, passenger vehicles were fired upon recently on November 4 along the NH-202 near TM Kasom although none was hurt, said the TNL .

On November 12, a Naga farmer, Newton Mahung (49), a father of two children, was brutally shot at and severely injured while harvesting paddy at Sinakeithei village.

The attack on farmers harvesting paddy was launched by Kuki militants from the Lungter Hills range, where a company of the 105 Bn BSF was stationed, asserted the TNL .

Also, the civilian population of Kamjong has been experiencing intermittent violent attacks from Kuki National Army-Burma (KNA-B) and Village Volunteers of Eastern Zone (VVEZ), based in Chassad Kuki village, said the TNL .

While the Naga community has been a victim of "proxy war" and external aggression from the neighbouring country, the Governments have exhibited a tacit apathy over the prevailing grave situations, and a lack of conviction in its effort to resolve the vexed violent conflict in the hills of Manipur, said the TNL, urging the Centre and the State Government to act on its ultimatum.

The Native People Committee Manipur (NPCM), Shokvao Katamnao Long and Delhi Meetei Coordinating Committee (DMCC) too have condemned the killing of four civilians at New Haven, and expressed solidarity with the bereaved families.

The NPCM, in its statement, called on the Government to identify and arrest all the perpetrators involved in the ambush.

It asserted that the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement must not become a shield for armed Kuki militants.

The DMCC urged the Government to launch an impartial and time-bound investigation into the ambush.

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