Domkhonei Touthang, a mother of five, was shot dead during a bunker demolition drive in Manipur’s Kamjong district on Friday night, October 9, 2026. Her death triggered an exchange of fire between armed groups, torched houses, and prompted authorities to impose prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS.
Security Forces Demolish Bunkers as Villagers Protest in Chassad
The violence erupted on Friday night, October 9, 2026, in the Kuki-majority Chassad village located within the Naga-dominated Kamjong district. Security forces including civil police, the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) and the Border Security Force (BSF) launched an operation to demolish illegal bunkers near the Chassad police station, according to local accounts and police reports.
Residents gathered to disrupt the demolition drive, protesting the arrest and detention of Chassad village volunteers. A scuffle broke out between security personnel and the protesters. Unidentified individuals reportedly opened fire at the security forces, who then retaliated. A civilian woman sustained two bullet injuries to her upper left chest near the neck and died on the spot.
Domkhonei Touthang was identified as the deceased by locals, who noted she was the wife of Lallenmang Touthang and a mother of three boys and two girls. Kuki groups asserted that the fatal shots came from security forces during the protest. One local account reported that a suffered bullet injuries from security forces and succumbed to her injuries at around 9.40pm on Friday.
Domkhonei Touthang was hit by bullets during an exchange of fire between armed groups and security forces, according to information provided by local sources. The incident happened at approximately 9:35 p.m., and she passed away within minutes at around 9:40 p.m. on Friday. Gunfire resumed early the following morning at around 5 a.m. and continued until 7 a.m. on Saturday.
Gunfights and House Burnings Spread Across Kamjong
Unidentified individuals set fire to several houses following the incident, and an exchange of gunfire broke out between Kuki and Naga armed groups. The gunfighting continued through the night and into Saturday morning, October 10, 2026. Multiple houses belonging to both Kuki and Tangkhul families were torched during the violence, though the exact number of torched dwellings remained unverified by authorities.
Police sources reported that at least four people, including three suspected Kuki National Army (Burma) [KNA (B)] cadres and Domkhonei Touthang, were killed in the fresh violence, while three others sustained injuries and were transferred to the Kamjong District Hospital for treatment. There were reports of a gun attack targeting Ningchou, a Tangkhul Naga village near the India-Myanmar border, allegedly carried out by suspected KNA (B) cadres.
Magistrate Imposes Restrictions as Groups Demand Judicial Inquiry
The district magistrate of Kamjong imposed strict prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023. The restrictions prohibit the assembly of five or more people within a 400-metre radius of the Chassad police gate junction in the scheduled area.
Civil society organizations reacted sharply to the civilian casualty. The Kuki Human Rights Forum (KHRF) condemned the killing, demanding a time-bound judicial inquiry and the arrest of the IRB personnel involved in the operation. The forum also called for the immediate release of the detained village volunteers and the deployment of neutral central forces in Kuki areas to secure the region.