Officials identified the victim as M. Haokip, chief of T Khonomphai village in the Henglep sub-division. 
Locals said Haokip was attacked with sticks and blunt objects, sustaining multiple bruises and lacerations. 
He was rushed to the district hospital in Churachandpur town but succumbed to his injuries on the way, according to district authorities.
Police have filed a First Information Report (FIR) in connection with the incident. 
However, neither Haokip&rsquo;s family nor the police have provided details on what may have triggered the attack by the militant group.
Manipur continues to follow a hereditary village chieftainship system, despite a 1967 state law that aimed to abolish it but was never implemented. 
In contrast, neighbouring Mizoram ended hereditary chieftainship in 1954.
The UKNA is not part of the umbrella group of over two dozen Kuki, Zomi, and Hmar insurgent organisations that renewed their Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the Centre and the Manipur government on September 4. 
The one-year agreement halts military operations against these groups, provided they remain in designated camps and keep their weapons in secured storage.
UKNA&rsquo;s Recent Activities
This is not the first time the UKNA has been involved in violent incidents. 
In July 2024, the outfit ambushed and killed the deputy chief of the Kuki National Army (KNA) and two KNA members in Churachandpur, also claiming the life of a bystander.
Following that attack, a purported UKNA statement, circulated on WhatsApp groups monitored by the police, claimed the ambush was carried out in retaliation for the alleged killing of a UKNA leader and more than 30 supporters by the KNA.
Rivalry between the KNA and UKNA has sharply intensified in recent months. 
Earlier in April 2024, the UKNA had also claimed responsibility for an ambush on civilian fuel tankers along National Highway 37, which links Manipur with Silchar in Assam.
Tensions Rise In Churachandpur
The killing of Haokip occurred just days after a senior police officer and his family in Churachandpur were threatened online by &ldquo;anti-social elements.&rdquo; 
Police confirmed a case has been registered, and an investigation is underway to identify those responsible.
&ldquo;Any attempt to intimidate or obstruct police officers in the discharge of their lawful duties will not be tolerated,&rdquo; the Churachandpur police said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Manipur has also witnessed a rise in extortion demands targeting police personnel by illegal groups.&nbsp;
In February 2024, Kangpokpi district&rsquo;s Superintendent of Police, Manoj Prabhakar, issued a directive instructing officers not to yield to such monetary demands.
&ldquo;It has been reported that a few illegal organisations are demanding money from police personnel in Kangpokpi. All police ranks are instructed to abstain from yielding to such demands,&rdquo; the SP stated in the official notification.

50-year-old village head M Haokip beaten to death in Manipur’s Churachandpur by UKNA men

Village Chief Killed By Suspected Militants

50-year-old village head M Haokip beaten to death in Manipur’s Churachandpur by UKNA men

October 29, 2025 | 17:31 IST