Manipur’s rare 48 hours: How all five communities got caught in violence
While the state had recently been roiled by killings in Naga-Kuki clashes, mid-level security personnel described the weekend’s events as a security nightmare
In a rare 48-hour period from Saturday to Monday, Manipur experienced unprecedented violence involving all four major communities—Meiteis, Nagas, Kukis, and Pangals—while a fifth community, Nepalis, also found themselves caught in the unrest. For the first time, clashes erupted between Meiteis (Hindus) and Meitei Pangals (Muslims), resulting in one death and multiple injuries.
The violence resurfaced Meitei-Kuki tensions, after a three-month lull, when three Meiteis were allegedly killed by Kuki militants. The escalating situation, starting with a Kuki man's death and subsequent house burnings in Kamjong district, prompted the police to impose a curfew. The unrest extended beyond Kamjong, as stone-pelting broke out during a music festival in Thoubal, a city approximately 25km from Imphal, Imphal.
The events unfolded swiftly, with Meiteis and Pangals clashing at the festival, leading to the death of a Meitei and injuries to several others. The situation further deteriorated when an ambush left three CRPF officers critically injured around 47km away from Thoubal. The rapid escalation of violence left security forces and the political establishment scrambling to contain the crisis, leading to an urgent meeting of the unified command comprising officers from all security forces deployed in the state.
Written by urgent.news from Hindustan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
