Ukhrul, June 7: Tension escalated sharply in Ukhrul district on Saturday after a violent confrontation between Assam Rifles personnel and women protesters opposing the establishment of a temporary military outpost at New Heaven, leaving at least 22 Tangkhul Naga women injured and triggering widespread outrage across the Katho area.
All injured women were rushed to the District Hospital, Ukhrul, where they are currently undergoing treatment. Several reportedly sustained injuries during clashes that unfolded at Finch Corner and later at Shokvao village.
The confrontation stemmed from growing opposition by local residents and civil society organizations against the alleged construction and deployment of an Assam Rifles temporary outpost at New Heaven. Community leaders and village authorities have maintained that the security force established the post without prior consultation, consent, or permission from the concerned village authority, a move they described as a violation of traditional land and administrative rights.
According to sources from the protest site, hundreds of villagers, including women volunteers, had been staging demonstrations since Friday demanding the immediate withdrawal of Assam Rifles personnel from the area.
Witnesses alleged that at around 4:00 PM, Assam Rifles personnel moved to clear a barricade erected by protesters at Finch Corner. During the operation, security forces allegedly used tear gas shells and fired warning shots to disperse the crowd. Protesters further claimed that women volunteers were physically assaulted during the confrontation.
The situation reportedly intensified when another contingent proceeded towards Shokvao village. Residents alleged that security personnel entered the village around 4:30 PM and used force against women guarding the area. At nearly the same time, Assam Rifles personnel stationed at New Heaven allegedly resorted to firing rounds, creating panic among villagers. No injuries from the reported firing at New Heaven were immediately confirmed.
One injured woman undergoing treatment at District Hospital, Ukhrul, described the incident as traumatic and accused security personnel of using excessive force against unarmed women.
“They fired tear gas and bullets and beat women with batons. Even elderly women who had fallen on the ground were not spared. Women inside their homes were also allegedly assaulted,” she claimed.
The allegations have intensified public anger across the region, with community organizations demanding an independent inquiry into the incident and accountability for those responsible for the injuries sustained by the women protesters.
The Tangkhul Naga women involved in the protest are part of a larger network of volunteers who have been guarding highways and inter-village roads in the region since ethnic tensions between Naga and Kuki communities escalated in February 2026.
Saturday’s clash is the latest in a series of confrontations reported between Assam Rifles personnel and Naga women volunteers in the districts of Ukhrul and Kamjong over recent months.
At the time of filing this report, no official statement had been issued by the Assam Rifles regarding the allegations.
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