Witnesses reported that armed groups from the majority Meitei community and the predominantly Kuki tribal community engaged in a firefight in a district bordering Myanmar, with homes set on fire in the ensuing chaos. Local authorities imposed a curfew and internet shutdown in the affected area, and paramilitary troops have been deployed to prevent the violence from spreading.
Manipur has been wracked by intermittent conflict since May 2023, when a court order granting scheduled tribe status to the Meitei community triggered a backlash from Kuki groups, who feared losing land and political representation. The state government, led by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, has struggled to contain the violence despite repeated appeals for peace from New Delhi.
The latest incident appears to have been sparked by a dispute over land ownership, according to local officials who spoke on condition of anonymity. However, human rights groups warn that the underlying ethnic polarisation remains unresolved. "The peace agreements have been fragile, and the lack of meaningful dialogue between the communities means that any small incident can ignite violence," said a researcher at the Manipur-based human rights organisation People's Watch.
The federal government has sent additional forces and offered to mediate, but Kuki groups have rejected talks unless the Meitei community withdraws its demand for scheduled tribe status. Meanwhile, the Meitei leadership insists that the demand is a matter of constitutional rights and economic opportunity.
The Indian Home Ministry expressed concern over the fresh violence and urged both sides to exercise restraint. "We are monitoring the situation closely and will take all necessary steps to restore peace," a ministry spokesperson said in a statement.
The latest clashes have displaced hundreds of families, many of whom had only recently returned to their homes after previous rounds of violence. Relief camps have been reopened, but aid workers say resources are stretched thin.