17-year-old killed in Manipur hill violence as attacks resume
A 17-year-old boy was shot dead on Monday after being ambushed by suspected militants in Tamenglong district's Takou village, Manipur. Nk Wiphenbou was walking alone on an inter-village road to buy essentials when he was attacked around 10:30 a.m. His bullet-riddled body was discovered by villagers on the roadside.
The killing marks an escalation in violence across Manipur's hill districts following a brief lull. At least eight people, including five women, have died in recent attacks and counter-attacks in the Naga-dominated areas of Tamenglong and Noney since mid-September.
The Working Committee of Joint Tribes Council Manipur condemned the incident, calling it a "barbaric act of terrorism." It accused Kuki militant factions of carrying out the ambush and demanded swift government action and enhanced security for Naga villages.
