Imphal: A wave of condemnation has swept through prominent Naga bodies following a violent incident on April 5th, 2025, where Liangmai Naga villagers of Konsakhul, situated near the Leimakhong Army Cantonment, were allegedly attacked by armed individuals originating from Leilon village.
The United Naga Council (UNC), All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM), and Naga Women Union (NWU) released a strongly worded joint statement expressing their outrage over the assault.
The midday attack, which reportedly occurred around 11:30 AM, resulted in serious injuries to thirteen individuals, including key village leaders. Aimson Abonmai, the Village Chief, Adam Dirinamai, the Village Chairman, and Wilingson Abonmai, the Pastor of Konsaram Baptist Church, were among those wounded. Sources indicate that Aimson Abonmai and Adam Dirinamai are currently receiving medical treatment at RIMS, Imphal.
The joint statement from the apex Naga organizations characterized the attack as a premeditated and barbaric act, emphasizing its profound disrespect for customary law and established Naga traditions, particularly due to the targeting of village authorities. The Naga bodies further labeled the incident as an “organized crime,” raising serious questions about the apparent lack of intervention by both state and central security forces, especially considering a public curfew was in effect at the time.
The statement also took aim at the World Kuki-Zo Intellectual Council, criticizing its swift and, in their view, unfounded justification of the violent Konsakhul incident. The Naga organizations accused the council of attempting to legitimize what they consider criminal actions through the propagation of distorted narratives and fabricated documents.
In a related development, the UNC, ANSAM, and NWU also voiced their strong disapproval of an alleged attack on April 3rd, 2025. This incident reportedly involved Kuki volunteers from Valpabung village targeting Kazanga, a village belonging to the Maram Naga tribe, with accusations of vandalism and arson being leveled. The Naga bodies denounced this act as a blatant attempt to seize land under the guise of a dispute, warning that the Naga people would not remain passive in the face of continued aggression.
Adding to the chorus of condemnation, the Zeme Naga Council Manipur (ZNCM) issued its own separate statement regarding the Konsakhul incident. The ZNCM expressed deep concern over what it perceives as a calculated strategy to encroach upon the ancestral lands of the Zeliangrong-Inpui Nagas. The council cautioned that such provocations represent a significant threat to regional peace and reaffirmed its solidarity with the “cognate tribe whose identity and existence is being challenged.”
The ZNCM further demanded an unconditional apology from those responsible for the Konsakhul attack, warning of potential escalation if this demand is not met. The council urged the Kuki community to acknowledge historical land rights and ownership to prevent further conflict in the region. The escalating tensions and repeated clashes have heightened fears of widespread communal unrest, prompting Naga organizations to call for restraint, the pursuit of justice, and a fundamental respect for the land rights of indigenous communities.
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