JTC Shutdown Begins Amid Fresh Violence in Noney District

Noney, 29 July 2026: An emergency shutdown called by the Working Committee of the Joint Tribes Council (JTC), Manipur, came into force on Wednesday across the Inpui, Liangmai, Rongmei and Zeme areas following fresh violence and allegations of attacks involving security forces in Noney district.

The shutdown brought traffic to a complete standstill at Kambiron Village along National Highway 37, where private and commercial vehicles travelling from both Imphal and Jiribam were stopped. Many passengers and goods-laden trucks were left stranded. While National Highways, railway projects and other government works were affected, essential services, including medical facilities, educational institutions, PHED, electricity and telecommunication services, were exempted.

The shutdown was announced after the JTC-Manipur issued a strongly worded statement condemning what it described as the "betrayal of Naga lives". The organisation alleged that a CRPF CoBRA team, in collusion with the ZUF-J, attacked a camp of the Naga Volunteer Groups (NVG) at Bitiang Village in Noney district at around 6:00 am on Wednesday. The committee also referred to the abduction and killing of two Reverends in May this year, accusing the authorities of failing to bring those responsible to justice.

Meanwhile, reports from Noney claimed that personnel of the CRPF CoBRA unit allegedly attacked members of a Naga Village Guard at Bitiang Village, with unconfirmed reports suggesting casualties. Sources further alleged that members of the Rongmei Luh Phwam were prevented from reaching the reported incident site due to road restrictions imposed by CRPF personnel. Local villagers also reported that firing was continuing in the Phobut, Longjang and Bitiang areas near Tupul. However, these claims could not be independently verified.

In a separate development, officials confirmed that two personnel of the 207 CoBRA Battalion sustained splinter injuries during a firing incident near Lamdangmei Village under Noney Police Station on Wednesday morning. No official statement has yet been issued regarding the circumstances leading to the exchange of fire or the reported civilian casualties.

Video: Suspected militants allegedly collecting illegal taxes from vehicles along the Jiribam–Noney road in Manipur.

The JTC stated that the emergency shutdown will remain in force until the Government of India takes what it described as decisive action to arrest those responsible for the killings, end hostilities against Naga villages and civilians, and ensure justice for the victims. Authorities are yet to issue a detailed response, and further information is awaited as the situation continues to unfold.

~ KV NEWS