Fresh violence erupted in Manipur’s Kangpokpi town on Friday, marking another flare-up in the ongoing ethnic conflict that has plagued the region since May 2023. The incident occurred when a group of people marched towards the Deputy Commissioner’s office and attacked the administrative headquarters in the town. During the attack, a police official was injured, and the situation in the Kuki and tribal-dominated district remained tense, prompting heightened security measures.
This outbreak of violence followed recent unrest in the Saibol area of Kangpokpi district, which had seen a confrontation just three days earlier. Women from the Kuki community had gathered to protest the deployment of security forces, including personnel from the Border Security Force (BSF), Indian Army, and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), in the wake of a gunfight in the region. The protestors obstructed the security forces’ operations after a security operation on December 29, during which the Army and other security agencies cleared the area of militants and dismantled bunkers.
The fresh violence came shortly after Manipur’s Chief Minister, N Biren Singh, issued a public apology for the ongoing ethnic violence, urging the people of the state to “forgive and forget” the events of the past. Despite these calls for reconciliation, the situation remains volatile, with escalating clashes between different ethnic groups continuing to fuel tensions in the region. The government has been struggling to restore order, and the recent attacks underline the fragile peace and the deep-rooted animosities that persist in Manipur’s complex socio-political landscape.
