Khamsom village firing sparks panic in Manipur’s Senapati

IMPHAL – Gunmen fired towards farmland belonging to Khamsom, a Poumai Naga village in Manipur’s Senapati district, on Saturday evening, setting off panic among residents. No casualties had been reported in the Khamsom village firing at the time of writing, and villagers have called for more security forces to be sent to the area.

Ukhrul Times first reported the incident, citing local sources who described the attackers as suspected Kuki armed militants. Police have not issued a statement on the firing, and no group has claimed responsibility.

What is known about the Khamsom village firing

According to the local sources quoted by Ukhrul Times, the shooting began at around 5.30 pm on Saturday, November 14, 2026. The gunmen reportedly used automatic rifles and aimed towards an agricultural area where Khamsom villagers farm.

Villagers also told the outlet they had seen vehicles allegedly carrying armed men heading towards the area, which raised fears that the firing could escalate. “We need backup and reinforcement immediately,” one local source was quoted as saying.

Nagaland.News could not independently verify who opened fire, how long the shooting lasted or whether security forces had reached the village. These details are based on accounts from local sources and have not been confirmed by police or the district administration.

Village on a sensitive three-district boundary

Khamsom lies on the edge of Senapati district, where it meets the Saikul subdivision of Kangpokpi district, with Ukhrul district on the other side. Its residents are mainly Poumai Nagas, one of the Naga communities of Senapati.

The foothills where these three districts meet have seen repeated firing between armed men from Kuki and Naga settlements in recent months. Many incidents have taken place in or near paddy fields during the harvest season, when farmers from both communities work close to village boundaries.

Third incident in the region this week

The Khamsom village firing is the latest in a series of violent incidents in the hill districts this week. On Thursday, November 12, a woman was shot dead while harvesting paddy near Taphou Kuki village, on the boundary between Senapati and Kangpokpi districts, and at least one other person was injured.

A day later, on Friday, four civilians, including a mother and her son, were killed when gunmen ambushed two vehicles near New Heaven on the Imphal–Ukhrul road in Ukhrul district. Police described the attackers as suspected militants. The Tangkhul Naga Long issued a three-day ultimatum after the killings, while Kuki civil society groups in Ukhrul denied any role in the attack.

In late September, three Naga civilians from the Mao and Poumai communities were killed in firing near Kalenjang, close to the same inter-district boundary, Borok Times reported. Manipur Police have appealed for calm as tensions have risen across the hill districts.

Villagers seek more security forces

Residents of Khamsom have urged the authorities to deploy additional security forces immediately to protect the village and its farmland, according to Ukhrul Times. It was not clear at the time of writing whether any reinforcements had been sent.

Nagaland.News will update this story when police or the Senapati district administration issue an official account of the incident.