Two men from the Tangkhul Naga community were killed and others were injured after suspected militants opened fire on civilian vehicles in Manipur’s Ukhrul district on Saturday, Deccan Herald reported.

The attack took place in the afternoon along NH202 near the Litan area when unidentified gunmen fired at a convoy travelling from Imphal towards Ukhrul, The Hindu reported.

The police said that six vehicles were hit and the two men died at the spot. The persons were identified as Chinaoshang Shokwungnao, a retired soldier of the Naga Regiment from Tashar village, and Yaruingam Vashum from Kharasom.

Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh condemned the killings and said that the state government would hand over the probe to the National Investigation Agency.

“Security forces have launched an operation to apprehend those responsible for the attack,” he said on social media on Saturday.

The incident occurred a day after the chief minister visited Ukhrul as part of a peace outreach. During the visit, he had asked officials to strengthen security along the highway amid tensions between communities in the district.

Tensions in the Litan area date back to February 7, when an alleged assault involving members of the Tangkhul Naga and the Kuki-Zo communities escalated into clashes.

The incident, in which a Tangkhul Naga man was injured following an altercation, triggered days of arson and firing in Litan and nearby villages. More than 50 houses were reportedly burnt, prompting the imposition of prohibitory orders and an internet shutdown at the time.

Subsequent efforts by civil society groups from both communities to resolve the dispute failed and intermittent violence continued.

On March 11, two Kuki men who had gone to repair a water pipeline were allegedly abducted, leading to further escalation.

Manipur’s Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam had said that the abduction triggered exchanges of gunfire in Thawai and the brief abduction of about 20 Tangkhul civilians along the Imphal-Ukhrul road.

While the Tangkhul civilians were later released, the two abducted Kuki men were subsequently found dead in a village in neighbouring Kamjong district.

Following the ambush on Saturday, the Tangkhul Naga Long, an apex body of the community, alleged that Kuki armed groups were responsible for the attack and called for a crackdown in the area, The Hindu reported.

“Ever since the conflict between Tangkhul Nagas and Kukis started in early February, Kuki militants have been openly attacking civilians in Litan, Laho, Sinakeithei, Sikibung and Thawai,” the newspaper quoted the organisation as having said in a statement.

Sword Vashum, the chief of the Tangkhul Naga Long, said that the organisation would take “necessary action” in the days to come.

The Kuki Zo Council denied involvement of the community, adding that the incident appeared linked to factional tensions among the Naga groups rather than the actions of Kuki-Zo organisations, The Hindu reported.

“It is deeply regrettable that, without proper verification or credible evidence, blame is hastily attributed to the Kuki-Zo community,” the Kuki organisation was quoted as having said in a statement.