Kuki man killed in Manipur shooting; houses set ablaze

Armed assailants opened fire on two people gathering bamboo shoots in Kangpokpi district, Manipur, on Monday, killing one identified as Paolen Khongsai instantly. The shooting marked an escalation in communal tensions gripping the state as a shutdown was underway in response to killings of Meitei community members.

Following the incident, violence spread through the area with six houses set on fire by unidentified groups. Local authorities confirmed the fatality and the property damage but provided limited details on the circumstances surrounding the attack.

The killing adds to mounting casualties in Manipur's protracted ethnic conflict between Kuki and Meitei communities. The state has witnessed repeated cycles of violence, communal clashes, and shutdowns over recent months, disrupting normal life and deepening communal divisions.

State administration officials said security forces were deployed to prevent further escalation of violence in affected areas. The shutdown called by Meitei groups remained in effect as authorities sought to restore normalcy in the troubled region.