Maova Village Council Chairperson, Sutminlal Vaiphei addressing a media conference at Maova village on February 14. (Morung Photo)
• Says conflict was over a private land dispute
• Appeals against linking it to Manipur conflict
Morung Express News
Chümoukedima | February 14
The Maova Village Council denied allegations that its villagers waylaid members of the Chakhroma Public Organisation (CPO) and Chakhroma Youth Organisation (CYO). The CPO, at a press conference on February 13, hurled allegation against the Maova Village Council and its gaonbura of staging a premeditated ambush that escalated the situation on the morning of February 13.
It resulted in a violent confrontation and subsequent arson and vandalism by Chakhroma youth volunteers in the village. Around 20-30 people sustained injuries in the clash. Among the injured were the EAC Medziphema and two police personnel.
As per the police, the mob vandalised nine houses and 3 shops, set fire to 8 shops, a community hall, a youth office, and a council guest house. More than 30 LPG cylinders exploded during the fires, and 21 vehicles were damaged, three of which were torched. No casualties were reported.
Maova Village Council Chairperson, Sutminlal Vaiphei, reiterated at a press conference that the village had no official prior information regarding the organisations’ visit contrary to what was alleged by the CPO at a press conference following the violent confrontation.
Vaiphei claimed that the village only received message informing of a mass gathering in the village around 9:00 am on the day of the incident. By that time, most of the male population had reportedly left for work. According to him, the village was left with approximately 20 to 30 youths and a group of women to face a crowd that the chairperson tipped to have numbered in the “thousands.”
Responding to claims that the villagers were armed and waiting in ambush, Vaiphei said that the presence of women was an attempt to de-escalate potential violence, based on the belief that men would not attack women. “Maova (villagers) had no intention to fight. We were on the road... whatever happened, it was for self-defense,” Vaiphei said.
He also refuted rumours suggesting the use of explosives during the clash. He clarified that the explosions heard were caused by LPG cylinders inside a shop that had been set on fire. Vaiphei claimed that he personally alerted volunteers from the opposing side about the presence of the cylinders to prevent them from getting injured by the blasts. He invited forensic investigation to verify his claim.
He further dismissed apprehension that the February 13 incident in the village was connected to the unrest in neighbouring Manipur. He urged the public and media to treat the incident as a localised matter. “This is absolutely not related to the Manipur issue,” Vaiphei said, while appealing the people of Nagaland not to view it from a communal lens, and mixing it with the Manipur issue.
Regarding the land dispute and the alleged notice served by the CPO, Vaiphei refuted claims that Maova village had ignored correspondence from the CPO. He stated that the village received a letter on December 2, 2025, and submitted a reply to the Deputy Commissioner’s office on December 22. He added that a copy was physically handed to the caretaker at the CPO President’s residence in Chümoukedima as the President was unavailable at the time.
He said that the root of the conflict lies in a land dispute involving an individual landowner of the village and another party, rather than violation of a land use resolution dating to 2018. Contrary to allegations, he said that the village council has not objected to development activities by people who bought land in the village.
Vaiphei expressed confidence that the district administration would facilitate a peaceful resolution.
