One person was killed and another injured, while over a dozen houses were razed at different locations in Nagaland’s Kiphire district on Saturday after a dispute between two communities turned violent, police said.
Officers confirmed that violence between the Tikhir and Yimkhiung communities occurred in parts of the district where both tribes cohabit.
Following the violence, district authorities imposed prohibitory orders under section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in the affected areas to prevent further escalation of the violence and maintain public order.
Officials said additional security forces were deployed in vulnerable areas and the situation remained tense until Sunday evening.
Deputy chief minister Yanthungo Patton said the state government was closely monitoring the prevailing situation in Kiphire district. He appealed to all communities to exercise restraint, maintain peace and refrain from any action or statement that could escalate tensions.
“We urge all concerned to resolve differences through dialogue, mutual understanding and respect,” said Patton, who holds the Home portfolio.
Meanwhile, the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) expressed shock over the reported violence between members of the two communities. Condemning the violence, the organisation urged its constituents, the Yimkhiung Tribal Council (YTC) and the Tikhir Tribal Council (TTC), to take responsibility for their respective communities, initiate urgent measures to stop the violence and make efforts to restore normalcy between the two communities.