An estimated mob of 3,000 Meitei assailants, some with sophisticated weapons, launched an attack on the Kuki villages in the Khamenlok valley, over a period of three days, burning houses and rampaging the area.

While the Kuki villagers escaped to the hills on arrival of the assailants, security forces were blocked from reaching the area by women activist groups.

Finally, on the night of 13–14 June, while the assailants were celebrating in a church building, the Kuki village defence volunteers descended from the hills and carried out a wholesale massacre of the Meitei mobs.

Starting out as clashes between the Meitei and Kuki (tribal) communities of Manipur at the border between Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts, the ethnic violence soon spun out of control engulfing the whole state.

The Meitei community has developed organised militias such as Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun, which looted state police armouries to gain advanced weaponry,and used it to wage war against the tribal districts inhabited by Kukis.The Kukis, who possess licensed guns due to their hunting occupation, attempted to organise "village defence volunteers", while the security forces created "buffer zones" to keep the two sides apart.

These are, in order, H. Khopibung, Khamenlok, Chullouphai, Aigejang, A. Leikot, A. Phainom, Thombol, T. Jordanphai, Songjang and Govajang.

[12] Other news reported that clashes continued till late evening, and nine people were injured in total, receiving bullet wounds.

[13][14] The Imphal Free Press provided the information that, as soon as the news about the gun battle was circulated, "women folks" (Meira Paibis) in the Khurai Lamlong Keithel area (a suburb of Imphal City on the route to Khamenlok) blocked the roads, so that the (central) armed forces could not reach the area.

[8] Meitei women's groups again blocked roads and also blew up mobile towers, so that armed forces could not reach the area, and communications also became unavailable.

[1][2] The nine people who were officially declared killed, came from villages in valley districts such as Leimakhong, Khurai, Pangei and Ningthemcha.