Two persons have been arrested in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district in connection with the killing of six Naga civilians, the police said on Friday.

In a social media post, the police said a joint team of the Manipur Police, National Investigation Agency and Central Reserve Police Force carried out an operation on the “basis of credible inputs from our own sources”.

The two arrested persons were identified as Pradip, and Ayingbi, both residents of Leilon Vaiphei village in Kangpokpi.

The case relates to the killing of six Naga persons in Leilon Vaiphei village after their abduction on May 13.

Their bodies were recovered from the vicinity of the village on June 10, leading to protests by Naga and Meitei groups demanding the arrest of those responsible, PTI reported.

Days after the bodies were found, Kuki-Zo Council chairman Henlienthang Thanglet apologised for the incident and called for an impartial investigation into all acts of violence linked to the ethnic conflict in Manipur.

“I admit the Kuki-Zo people made a grave mistake in killing the six Naga civilians. It was done out of emotion,” he said. “I strongly condemn it. I am very sorry and apologise on behalf of my people.”

After the bodies were discovered, Naga groups blocked routes to Kangpokpi district, resulting in a rise in the prices of essential commodities in the Kuki-Zo-majority district, the news agency reported.

A day later, the Kuki-Zo Council clarified that parts of Thanglet’s remarks had been “misconstrued as an admission of responsibility by the Kuki-Zo community”.

The developments came amid tensions between Kukis and Nagas in Ukhrul that had erupted on February 7 after an alleged assault involving members of the Tangkhul Naga and the Kuki-Zo communities escalated into clashes. At least 25 persons from the two communities have been killed since tensions erupted.

Ethnic clashes had first broken out in Manipur in May 2023 between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo-Hmar communities. At least 260 persons have been killed and more than 59,000 persons displaced since then in the conflict.

Biren Singh had stepped down as the chief minister in February 2025 amid allegations from Kuki-Zomi-Hmar groups that his response to the violence had been partisan and that he had stoked majoritarianism.

After he resigned, Manipur was under President’s Rule for a year until Yumnam Khemchand Singh took oath as chief minister on February 4.

Written by Sara Varghese. Edited by Neerad Pandharipande.

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