The Defence Ministry has strongly criticised the local media in Manipur for carrying “misinformation” that the army was involved in an “agreement” which led to a Kuki group agreeing to call off an indefinite shutdown in Churachandpur district.

The Kuki group Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) had called the indefinite shutdown over the death of a woman after a gunfight between, according to the police, security forces and “unknown armed miscreants” in Langchingmanbi village on June 19.

The security forces began a search operation after a farmer from the Meitei community was shot at by “an unknown armed miscreant” while working in a paddy field near the foothills in Bishnupur district’s Phubala, the police had said.

The security forces came under fire from “unknown armed miscreants” while they were combing through Langchingmanbi, Heichanglok, and the western areas of Phubala village, and the forces retaliated.

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“During the crossfire, one woman from Langchingmanbi village was found dead with a bullet injury. She was later identified as Hoikholhing, wife of the village chief of Langchingmanbi,” the police said in a statement on June 19.

Incident Report: Shooting at Phubala and Subsequent Exchange of Fire

Today, at approximately 3:00 PM, one Ningthoujam Biren Singh, a cultivator from Phubala Awang Maning Leikai, was shot in his left arm by an unknown armed miscreant while working in his paddy field at Phubala… — Manipur Police (@manipur_police) June 19, 2025

In protest over the death of the woman, the ITLF called the indefinite shutdown in Kuki-dominant Churachandpur district.

Churachandpur town (file)

ITLF Calls Off Indefinite Shutdown In Churachandpur: Report

The ITLF on Saturday announced it called off the indefinite shutdown, and the reason for it was that “an amicable solution” with the district administration has been reached under the “tribal customary law”, news agency PTI reported.

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“This is inform to the general public that an amicable solution has reached between the ITLF and district administration, Churachandpur, in connection with the loss of our beloved mother (late) Hoikholhing Haokip, chief of Langchingmanbi village, at ITLF office, Tuibong according to tribal customary law. Henceforth, the indefinite total shutdown imposed by ITLF in the district has been called off with immediate effect,” the ITLF said in a statement, according to the PTI report.

Calls to the Churachandpur deputy commissioner, Dharun Kumar S, went unanswered.

CoTU Headlines “False And Baseless”: Defence Spokesperson

A Defence Ministry spokesperson, referring to local media reports that cited another Kuki group Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), said the army “is neither involved nor has made any agreement, as mentioned in reports.”

“Such misinformation harms peace process – media is urged to verify with authorised sources, before publishing,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson referred to reports in the local media headlined ‘COTU Calls Off Shutdown’ and ‘Shutdown Over Langchingmanbi Killing Called Off’ that were published in some local newspapers on June 22 as “false and baseless”.

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🚫 Reports titled ‘COTU Calls off Shutdown’ & “Shutdown over Langchingmanbi Killing Called Off” published on 22 Jun 202 5 in a few of the local newspapers in #Manipur are false & baseless.

🔴 The #IndianArmy is neither involved, nor has made any agreement, as mentioned in… pic.twitter.com/ZcUnTx5K7P — PRO Defence, Manipur, Nagaland & South Arunachal (@prodefkohima) June 22, 2025

Over 260 people have been killed and thousands have been displaced in the Meitei-Kuki ethnic violence that began in May 2023.

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The Centre imposed President’s rule after Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned in February. The state assembly, which has a tenure till 2027, has been put under suspended animation.