Dimapur, February 15: Maova Village Council (MVC) chairman Sutminlal Vaiphei on Saturday appealed to the people of Nagaland not to communalise the February 13 violent confrontation, asserting that the incident was a village-level issue specific to Maova and unrelated to developments in Manipur.
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| Maova Village Council chairman Sutminlal Vaiphei addresses a press conference, clarifying the February 13 clash and urging against communalising the issue. (Image: TNP) |
Addressing a press conference at Maova village, Vaiphei cautioned against “negative narratives” circulating on social media and urged restraint to prevent further escalation. He maintained that the matter could be resolved through dialogue and administrative intervention.
“This press conference is not to offer a counter-argument but to inform our Naga brothers and the people of Nagaland about the actual events,” he said, stressing that the clash had no connection with the unrest in Manipur. “Maova does not know what happened in Manipur, and Manipur does not know what happened here,” he added.
The MVC denied allegations by the Chakhroma Public Organisation (CPO) and the Chakhroma Youth Organisation (CYO) that villagers staged a premeditated ambush during the visit of their members on February 13.
Vaiphei said the village had no official prior information regarding the organisations’ visit and only received a message around 9:00 am that a mass gathering was taking place. By then, he claimed, most men had left for work, leaving about 20–30 youths and a group of women in the village.
Responding to claims that villagers were armed and waiting, he said women stood at the forefront based on a cultural belief that men would refrain from attacking women, hoping to prevent violence. “Maova had no intention to fight. Whatever happened, it was in self-defence,” he said.
He also refuted rumours of explosives being used, stating that the blasts heard were caused by LPG cylinders exploding after shops were set on fire. He invited forensic agencies to verify the claim.
According to police, the violence resulted in vandalism of nine houses and three shops, while eight shops, a community hall, a youth office, and a council guest house were set ablaze. More than 30 LPG cylinders reportedly exploded, and 21 vehicles were damaged, three of which were torched. Around 20–30 people sustained injuries, including the EAC Medziphema and two police personnel. No casualties were reported.
Vaiphei said it was difficult to assign responsibility for injuries amid the chaos and noted that he himself was injured. He refrained from blaming any specific group, including over allegations that police personnel and an executive magistrate were attacked.
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On the underlying land dispute, Vaiphei stated that the conflict stemmed from an issue involving an individual landowner and another party, not from any violation of a 2018 land-use resolution as alleged. He denied claims that the village ignored a letter from the CPO dated December 2, 2025, stating that the MVC submitted a reply to the Deputy Commissioner’s office on December 22 and handed a copy to the caretaker at the CPO president’s residence in Chümoukedima.
He further clarified that a 1995 declaration involving the gaon bura and others had no bearing on the present incident.
Terming the clash “unfortunate,” Vaiphei said village elders and public leaders would meet in the coming days to deliberate on steps to restore peace. He expressed confidence that the district administration would facilitate dialogue between the village council and CPO leaders to resolve the matter amicably.
Appealing for calm, he urged the public and media to treat the February 13 violence as a localised dispute and avoid viewing it through a communal lens.
