IMPHAL — Suspected militants opened fire on a group of villagers collecting firewood in the hills of Manipur on Monday morning, killing two people and wounding several others, officials said, in the latest bloodshed in the north-eastern Indian state. The killings triggered furious protests in the capital, where residents carried the two bodies to the gate of the chief minister's residence and police responded with tear gas.
The attack is a separate incident from the Kamjong district violence reported earlier this month, which also left civilians dead. Monday's ambush unfolded along the restive border belt between Imphal East and Kangpokpi districts, an area where hill and valley communities have clashed repeatedly since ethnic violence erupted in May 2023.
The Manipur Ambush: What Happened on Monday Morning
Sixteen people from a village near Nongshum had set out around 7 am to collect firewood in the hills, according to officials quoted by the Press Trust of India (PTI). As the group worked in the forested slopes at Khongbal Sunurok Uyok in Kangpokpi — a few metres from Nongshum village in Imphal East — gunmen opened fire.
The local outlet Ukhrul Times reported the firing began at around 9:30 am. PTI quoted officials as saying suspected militants were behind the shooting. Ukhrul Times described the attackers as suspected Kuki gunmen and the two people killed as members of the Meitei community; those community-level claims could not be independently confirmed.
Who was killed and hurt
Officials identified the two people killed as Arubam Ronil, 35, and Lairenlakpam Inaobi, 51, PTI reported. Both were residents of Nongshum in Imphal East.
The number of injured differs between reports. PTI quoted officials as saying four others were injured, while Ukhrul Times reported three injured, naming them as Maisnam Somendro, 47, Ngangom Tonaobi, 18, and Ksh Sushil, 32. Ukhrul Times said the injured were taken to Raj Medicity Hospital. Both outlets agreed that one of the injured was in serious condition. GlobalDeskNews is reporting the conservative confirmed figure of three injured and noting the disagreement.
PTI also quoted officials as saying three people were still missing after the ambush.
Bodies taken to the chief minister's gate
By Monday afternoon, anger over the killings had spilled onto the streets of the capital. Residents carried the two bodies to Imphal and placed them outside the main gate of the chief minister's residence in Babupara, PTI reported, in a raw display of public fury at the continuing violence.
Police fired several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the crowd, according to both PTI and Ukhrul Times. The bodies were then taken to the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS), PTI said. Security was tightened around the chief minister's residence, and movement on nearby roads was restricted.
It was not immediately known whether Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh was present at the residence during the protest, PTI reported.
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Why it matters
Manipur has lived under the shadow of ethnic violence since May 2023, and Monday's ambush shows how quickly ordinary daily life — a morning trip to gather firewood — can turn deadly. The protest outside the chief minister's residence is a sign of how deeply public patience has eroded. When grieving families choose to lay bodies at the door of the state's top official, it's a message that goes beyond grief: people want protection, not promises.
The incident also highlights the fragile security situation along the district borders, where villages sit close to contested hill areas. Three people remain missing, which means the toll — and the tension — could still rise.
What happens next
The three missing villagers remain the most urgent concern; their fate could determine whether the casualty count climbs. Authorities have not announced any arrests, and officials have described the attackers only as suspected militants.
The political fallout will also be watched closely. Protests that reach the chief minister's gate rarely end with tear gas alone — they usually bring statements from the state government and demands for action from community groups. Whether the response goes beyond that will shape how the coming days unfold.
Key Takeaways
- Two firewood collectors — Arubam Ronil, 35, and Lairenlakpam Inaobi, 51 — were killed in an alleged militant ambush in Manipur on Monday morning.
- At least three people were injured, with one in serious condition; PTI reported four injured, and the disagreement is noted.
- Three people are still missing after the attack at Khongbal Sunurok Uyok, on the Imphal East–Kangpokpi border.
- Residents carried the bodies to the chief minister's residence in Imphal; police fired tear gas to disperse the protest.
- The attack is separate from this month's Kamjong violence, also covered by GlobalDeskNews.
- Officials described the attackers as suspected militants; community-level claims remain unverified.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in Manipur on October 19?
Suspected militants ambushed a group of 16 villagers collecting firewood near the Imphal East–Kangpokpi district border in Manipur on Monday morning, October 19. Officials said two people were killed, several were injured, and three remain missing. The attack took place at Khongbal Sunurok Uyok, close to Nongshum village.
Who were the victims of the Manipur ambush?
The two people killed were identified by officials as Arubam Ronil, 35, and Lairenlakpam Inaobi, 51, both residents of Nongshum in Imphal East. The local outlet Ukhrul Times said they were from the Meitei community and named three injured people, one of them in serious condition.
Why did protesters take the bodies to the chief minister's residence?
Angry residents carried the two bodies to Imphal and placed them outside the main gate of Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh's residence in Babupara on Monday afternoon. The act was a protest against the continuing violence in the state, which has seen repeated killings since ethnic clashes began in May 2023.
How did police respond to the protest?
Police fired several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the crowd gathered outside the chief minister's residence, according to PTI and Ukhrul Times. The bodies were then taken to the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences, and security was tightened around the residence.
How many people were injured or are missing?
Reports differ on the injured: PTI quoted officials as saying four others were hurt, while Ukhrul Times reported three injured. Both agreed one person was in serious condition. PTI also reported that three people were still missing after the ambush.
Is this the same as the earlier Manipur violence this month?
No. This is a separate incident from the Kamjong district violence earlier in October, in which a woman was shot dead and houses were torched. Monday's ambush happened in a different area — the Imphal East–Kangpokpi border belt — and involved a different set of victims.
Sources
- Press Trust of India via ThePrint, "2 persons shot dead by militants in Manipur, locals demonstrate with bodies outside CM house" (published Oct 19, 2026) — full report
- Ukhrul Times, "Angry Residents Bring Bodies of Two Victims to CM's Bunglow; Three Injured in Suspected Kuki Militant Ambush" — full report
- GlobalDeskNews, Manipur Kamjong Violence: Woman Shot Dead, Houses Torched (related earlier incident)
- GlobalDeskNews, 20 Police Trainees Abducted in Mastung, Balochistan (regional militant-attack coverage)