Three Kuki-Zo men were killed in Manipur's Noney district on Saturday, October 31, in what a police official described as a fierce gun battle between two armed groups, Nation Press reported. The Indian Express, in a report dated November 1, placed the exchange of fire at Kekru Naga village in the Nungba sub-division of Noney district and said police had heightened security in the area.
Source: Nation Press
Police have not formally identified the three men, and a police official said further details were still being ascertained. Police have also not publicly identified those responsible for the firing.
Source: The Indian Express (via Chetan Bharat Learning summary, 1 Nov 2026)
What Kuki Inpi Manipur alleged
Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), an apex body of the Kuki tribes, said the three men were village volunteers and alleged — an allegation police have not confirmed — that cadres of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah), or NSCN-IM, and the Zeliangrong United Front (Kamson faction), or ZUF-K, carried out the killings. KIM's secretary for information and publicity, Janghaolun Haokip, alleged that the authorities had failed to provide adequate security to Kuki-Zo settlements in Noney despite repeated warnings, and that residents had formed volunteer units to defend their homes.
Source: Nation Press
KIM also alleged that the bodies of the dead were desecrated after the killings — an allegation that has not been independently verified — and demanded justice, accountability and immediate stringent action against those responsible.
Source: Nation Press
What is solid
- Three Kuki-Zo men died in an exchange of fire in Noney district on Saturday, October 31 (Nation Press; The Indian Express).
- Police said the men died in a gun battle between two armed groups and that details were still being ascertained.
- Police have not formally identified the dead or publicly named those responsible.
What is only claimed
- KIM alleges the men were village volunteers targeted by NSCN-IM and ZUF-K cadres — police have not confirmed this.
- KIM alleges a failure to provide security despite prior warnings and alleges desecration of the bodies — neither allegation has been independently verified.
What happens next
The deaths come amid continuing armed violence in Manipur's hill districts. With police yet to name those responsible, KIM's demands for enhanced security for Kuki-Zo settlements and a formal government response are expected to remain in focus while the police investigation continues.