At least 30 houses set ablaze in three Manipur villages; 1 injured: Police

At least 30 houses set ablaze in three Manipur villages as ethnic tensions escalate

KANGPOKPI, Manipur — Unknown armed assailants set fire to at least 30 houses in three Liangmai Naga villages in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district early Tuesday, marking the latest flare-up in the state’s ongoing ethnic violence. Police reported that one villager was injured during the pre-dawn attack, which followed a deadly clash in a nearby Kuki-Zo village just a day earlier.

According to Kangpokpi police, the arson took place around 4 a.m. in the villages of Tapon Khullen, Tapon Khunou, and Makui Pipuram along the Imphal-Tamenglong road. Authorities said the attackers opened fire, triggering a prolonged exchange that lasted until approximately 12:30 p.m. Additional security forces, including CRPF and its CoBRA unit, were deployed to the area and launched search operations.

The injured person, identified as N Luithuibou (49), sustained bullet wounds to his right abdomen and hand. Locals identified him as a church pastor. Police also reported damage to an excavator, a Gypsy, a pickup truck, and a truck during the incident. The number of houses damaged in Makui Pipuram is yet to be confirmed.

The violence comes just one day after armed individuals attacked Teikhang Kuki village in Kangpokpi district, killing three civilians—two women and one man—and injuring four others. Since May 13, at least 17 people from the Kuki-Zo and Naga communities have been killed in separate incidents across Manipur.

Despite repeated attacks in recent months, including the August 27 ambush that killed four Naga civilians and the August 31 attack that claimed three Kuki lives, no group has claimed responsibility. Ethnic clashes in Manipur, which began in May 2023 between the Meitei and Kuki communities, have since drawn in multiple groups, displacing over 60,000 people and resulting in at least 260 deaths.

Security forces remain on high alert as tensions persist in the region.

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