Kuki CSO Working Committee Admits Role in Killing of Three Meitei Civilians, Says Operatives Had Initially Targeted Tangkhul Farmers

KAMJONG, October 20, 2026: The Kuki CSO Working Committee, Kamjong District, has issued an apology over the killing of three Meitei civilians in the Kongbal Tangkhul area, acknowledging in its statement that its operatives opened fire indiscriminately after allegedly mistaking the victims for Naga farmers

In a statement titled “Apology and Condemnation Regarding the Tragic Incident at Kongbal Tangkhul Area,” the committee expressed condolences to the bereaved families and sought forgiveness from the Meitei community, describing the incident as a “monumental mistake.”

More significantly, the committee’s own account states that its operatives were initially deployed to launch an attack targeting Tangkhul farmers working in paddy fields. It claimed that severe misidentification in the forested terrain led its personnel to open fire indiscriminately.

The admission raises serious questions about the circumstances surrounding the operation, as the committee’s statement indicates that Tangkhul farmers were the original intended targets, while the three Meitei civilians were reportedly killed after being mistaken for Naga Village Guards.

The committee further claimed that its operatives misidentified individuals in the forest as Naga Village Guards on patrol. Its statement also referred to the activities of Kuki underground groups operating from the Mount Sinai Suspension of Operations (SoO) camp, although the precise circumstances described in this passage remain unclear.

The committee separately condemned what it described as a “barbaric act” by the KNF-P/KRA operating from Myanmar alongside local Kuki Village Guards. The relationship between this allegation and the committee’s account of its own operatives’ actions requires further clarification.

While the committee expressed regret and sought forgiveness, its statement leaves critical questions about the intended targeting of Tangkhul farmers, the circumstances that led to the deaths of three Meitei civilians, and the accountability of those involved.

The apology was copied to the Deputy Commissioner of Kamjong District, the Commandant of the 11 Assam Rifles at Chassad, the Superintendent of Police, Kamjong District, and SB/SIB, Kamjong.

The statement does not establish that the committee itself intended to kill Naga civilians. Rather, it says its operatives initially targeted Tangkhul farmers and subsequently mistook the victims for Naga Village Guards. The claims in the statement have not been independently verified.

The Kuki CSO Working Committee’s account has placed the focus on the need for a thorough investigation, clarification of the chain of command, and accountability for the deaths of the three Meitei civilians and the reported targeting of Tangkhul farmers.