Nine killed in 24 hours as fresh violence rocks Manipur; 14 houses torched
Imphal: At least nine people were killed and 14 houses torched in a series of violent incidents across BJP-ruled Indian state of Manipur over the past 24 hours, triggering fresh tensions between the Kuki and Naga communities.
The violence across the state’s hill districts prompted a shutdown in Kangpokpi district and heightening tensions in the region.
The victims included a Kuki woman killed during an exchange of fire in Kamjong district, Naga village guards targeted in separate attacks in Kamjong and Kangpokpi districts, and a civilian commuter ambushed in Ukhrul district, officials said.
In a bid to prevent further escalation, the Kamjong district administration prohibited gatherings within a 400-metre radius of Chassad police station.
Meanwhile, the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), a Kuki organisation, called a 24-hour shutdown in Kangpokpi district, beginning at 6 pm on Saturday, in response to the prevailing situation.
The violence reportedly began on Friday night, October 9, when Domkhonei Touthang, 42, a Kuki woman and mother of five, was killed during an exchange of fire near Chassad police station.
The latest incidents have further heightened tensions between the Kuki and Naga communities in Manipur, raising fresh concerns about civilian safety and possibility of further violence in the affected districts.
Notably, the broader ethnic conflict in Manipur began in May 2023, primarily involving the Christian-dominated Kuki-Zo and Hindu-dominated Meitei communities. Clashes later also erupted between Kuki and Naga communities. The prolonged violence has claimed over 300 lives and displaced thousands of people from their homes.
The BJP-led government has faced severe criticism from opposition parties, civil society groups, human rights organizations and other stakeholders over its handling of the prolonged crisis and its failure to prevent recurring violence.
