Daijiworld Media Network - Kohima
Kohima, Oct 11: At least one person was killed and another injured, several houses were burnt and dozens of people displaced in clashes between the Yimkhiung and Tikhir communities in Nagaland’s Kiphire district, prompting the administration to impose prohibitory restrictions and appeal for peace, officials said on Sunday.
Police said the situation remained tense in parts of Pungro sub-division following the violence on Saturday during celebrations of the Tikhir community’s Tsonglak-Nyi festival in villages inhabited by members of both communities.
Additional security forces have been deployed in vulnerable areas to prevent further escalation, officials said.
According to a report from the district administration, the violence affected Pungro town and the villages of Zaonger, Longtsunger and Pokphur. In Pungro town, eight houses were vandalised and six burnt, displacing more than 47 people. In Zaonger village, around 40 houses were burnt or vandalised, forcing residents to flee their homes.
At Longtsunger village, one person belonging to the Tikhir community was killed and another injured in a gunfight, officials said.
The extent of damage to houses and the number of people displaced in Longtsunger and Pokphur could not be immediately ascertained.
The district administration and police personnel rushed to the affected areas after receiving reports of violence but initially faced resistance while attempting to enter some locations, according to the administration’s report.
The District Magistrate has imposed prohibitory restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, in parts of Pungro sub-division, apprehending further escalation and a breach of peace.
Deputy Commissioner Temsuwati Longkumer, in a public advisory issued on Sunday, appealed to community organisations, village authorities and individuals to exercise restraint and refrain from making provocative statements, engaging in intimidation or circulating unverified information.
The administration urged residents to comply with the prohibitory orders and cooperate with the police and civil authorities. Village councils, tribal organisations and community leaders were also asked to discourage retaliatory action and help resolve differences through dialogue.
The United Sangtam Likhum Pumji (USLP), in a peace advisory issued on October 10, also called for restraint and cooperation with the district administration and law enforcement agencies. The organisation warned individuals and groups against creating tension or disturbing law and order in areas under its jurisdiction in Kiphire district.
Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton, who also holds the Home portfolio, appealed to both communities to maintain calm and cooperate with law enforcement agencies. He stressed that differences could be resolved only through peaceful dialogue.
The Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO), the apex tribal body in the region, also appealed for peace. Its president, Chingmak Chang, urged the Yimkhiung and Tikhir tribal councils to take urgent steps to stop the violence and help restore normalcy.
The district administration said the situation was under control following the intervention of the authorities, although tensions persisted in the affected areas.