Manipur’s Violence Flares Again: Five Killed as Protests Demand an End to Truce
Protests over security, a truce with armed groups and the return of displaced families are intensifying in Manipur. Renewed Naga-Kuki violence has added another front to the unresolved conflict that began in 2023, leaving communities divided and tens of thousands unable to return home.
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In a Nutshell
- In Manipur, the Meitei–Kuki-Zo violence began in May 2023, and a newer wave of Naga-Kuki clashes erupted in February 2026. Reuters reports that this crisis has killed more than 300 people and left over 60,000 displaced people living in temporary shelters.
- Protests are taking different forms across the state. An October 31 rally in Imphal, organised by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity, demanded Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh’s resignation, an end to the Suspension of Operations agreement with Kuki-Zo armed groups and safe, permanent resettlement for displaced people.
- Some Naga organisations supported the rally, while the Tangkhul Naga Long withdrew shortly before it began.
- In Kangpokpi, the Committee on Tribal Unity organised a shutdown after two Kuki men were reported abducted. Shops, schools, offices and transport services were disrupted, although organisers exempted essential services. The group alleged that authorities responded unevenly to attacks on different communities.
- Five Kuki men were killed in two incidents on October 31 and November 1, police said. Three died in a gunfight involving unidentified armed groups in Noney.
- The bodies of two others who had gone missing were recovered in Kangpokpi. A Kuki organisation blamed Naga armed groups, but responsibility has not been independently established.
- The newer conflict has spread across hill districts. In its October 14 assessment, ACLED recorded nearly 50 civilian fatalities and around 70 armed clashes involving Naga and Kuki militias and insurgent groups since February. These figures cover that specific conflict and reporting period, not the entire Manipur crisis.
- A BJP-led state government took office in February 2026 after a year of President’s Rule. ACLED says security deployments, movement restrictions and negotiations have yet to establish sustained security in the affected hill districts
Context
The 2023 violence grew from longstanding tensions over land, political representation and access to government jobs and education. Meiteis are the largest community in the Imphal Valley. They asked the government to recognise them as a Scheduled Tribe (ST), a status that gives communities certain protections and benefits. Many Kuki and Naga people opposed the request. They were worried that it could affect their existing protections and land rights. Clashes after the May 3 tribal solidarity march spread across the state, driving communities from their homes.
Separately, Kukis and Nagas have a long history of territorial disputes. In February 2026, a local clash in Ukhrul sparked renewed fighting. The killing of three Kuki church leaders in May, followed by abductions and retaliatory attacks, made the violence worse. ACLED says armed groups have targeted civilians, burned homes and abducted people across hill districts. Protests are raising demands over the SoO arrangement, security and the return of displaced people.