In brief
Fresh ethnic clashes in northeastern India’s Manipur state left five people dead in separate incidents in Kangpokpi and Noney districts. Xinhua reports that government troops used tear gas to disperse crowds after the bodies of two missing Kuki men were recovered, while police say three Kuki men died in an armed exchange in Naga village. The incidents add to more than 300 deaths since May 2023.
Five people were killed in separate ethnic violence incidents in Manipur’s Kangpokpi and Noney districts on Sunday, officials confirmed, according to Xinhua and the Independent.
In Kangpokpi, clashes erupted after the bodies of two Kuki men who had gone missing from Taphou Kuki village on Oct. 28 were recovered. Government forces employed tear gas shelling and baton charges to disperse an agitated crowd, and several protesters were reportedly injured. Xinhua notes that police are still searching for those responsible.
Earlier, in Noney district, three Kuki men were killed in what police described as an exchange of gunfire between two armed groups at Kekru Naga village. An extensive search and combing operation has been launched to trace the killers. A top Kuki tribal body blamed Naga outfits for the killings, Xinhua reports.
The violence is part of a broader tribal conflict over the inclusion of the non‑tribal Meitei community for scheduled tribe status. Since May 3, 2023, the state has seen over 300 deaths and 49 missing persons. India’s federal government imposed direct rule in the state in February last year, which was revoked in February 2026.
