ThThe Naga Village Guard (NVG), Central Command, has issued a clarification rejecting reports circulated by Kuki groups alleging that Tangkhul Naga volunteers had attacked Mullam village in Ukhrul district.
In a statement released by its Media Cell, the NVG described the allegations as “false and misleading” and maintained that its volunteers were carrying out routine patrol duty between Sinakeithei and Sirarakhong, near Mullam village, on the morning of April 24.
According to the statement, the patrol was undertaken following repeated attacks on Sinakeithei village and reports of continuous tactical movement in the surrounding areas by Kuki armed cadres operating under the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement with the Government of India.
The NVG alleged that during the patrol, its volunteers came under heavy fire from Kuki armed cadres under the SoO pact, leading to an exchange of gunfire.
In the incident, one volunteer, Horshokmi Jamang (29), son of Lungshim Jamang from Chatric Khullen village in Kamjong district, was killed on the spot. Describing him as “a man of valour and a devoted patriotic Naga,” the statement said Jamang laid down his life defending his ancestral land. “His sacrifice will not go in vain,” the statement read, adding that the NVG Central Command deeply mourned the loss and prayed for strength and solace for the bereaved family. He is survived by his wife and a 10-month-old child.
Four other volunteers were also injured in the firing. They were identified as Ramshang Kamodang (32) of Nambisha, who sustained severe injuries to the chin; Horrei Khokyar (26) of Kalhang, who received shrapnel wounds on the back of the head; Shonshok Mahung (36) of Hungpung, who was shot through the thigh; and Ramnganing Mahon (34) of Ngainga, who sustained injuries to the leg. The injured, along with the body of the deceased, were brought to District Hospital, Ukhrul.
The NVG stated that retaliatory fire was initiated only in self-defense and not as an offensive attack on Mullam village, as alleged by Kuki groups. Following the confrontation, the volunteers reportedly returned to their camps and assumed defensive positions. Reaffirming its stand, the NVG Central Command stated that it remains committed to defending “land and identity without any compromise.”
“It is our resolute stand that we will never retreat and surrender to our adversaries until the flag of victory is hoisted in every hilltop of our motherland,” the statement said. The organisation also appealed to Naga youths across the world to come forward and join what it termed a “noble fight” to defend their land, identity, and people. “Our dear countrymen, it is now or never,” the statement added.
The clarification comes amid rising tensions in the region following reports of separate firing incidents in Ukhrul district that claimed multiple lives and further deepened concerns over the fragile security situation in Manipur’s hill areas.
