Ukhrul mob torches NSCN-IM office after killing of four Eastern Flank cadres

Imphal, Mar 29: Tensions flared in Manipur’s Ukhrul district on Sunday evening after an angry mob set fire to the Wung Tangkhul Region Secretariat of the NSCN-IM, hours after four cadres of the NSCN (Eastern Flank) were killed in an ambush near the Indo-Myanmar border.

According to sources, a large crowd gathered in Ukhrul town and later torched the office, reflecting the deepening public anger in the aftermath of the killings.

The unrest follows Saturday night’s ambush near Hongbei village along the Imphal–Kasom Khullen road, where four cadres were gunned down around 9:20 pm.

The incident, which has triggered allegations of NSCN-IM involvement, has sharply escalated tensions across the district.

As news of the killings spread, outrage intensified, with locals demanding action against those responsible, culminating in the arson attack.

Earlier in the day, the NSCN-IM denied issuing any directive for the ambush, describing it as a “botched operation” and assuring that those responsible would be identified and punished.

In a statement issued by its Publicity and Information Bureau, the General Headquarters of the Naga Army said no orders had been given to initiate any offensive action against any group or faction at this stage.

The back-to-back developments have heightened concerns over a possible escalation of violence in the region, which has a history of factional tensions and armed activity.

Security agencies are closely monitoring the situation, even as fears of retaliatory action persist and calls for accountability grow louder in the wake of the killings.

This is a developing story and more details are awaited.