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Manipur
Hundreds of displaced people, seeking to return to their homes, clashed with security forces in Manipur's Imphal East district on Saturday, officials said. The displaced people, who have been staying at different relief camps after ethnic violence broke out in May 2023, were stopped by security forces at Yaingangpokpi when they were marching towards their homes at Gwaltabi, located on the periphery of the district. As the situation escalated, security forces lobbed several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the agitators. One of the agitators, S Ibemcha Devi, said, "According to the government, normalcy has been restored in the state. Then, why are we not allowed to return to our homes?" An official said the situation continues to remain tense but under control. Such clashes between internally displaced persons (IDPs) and security forces have happened multiple times since the Sangai Festival began on November 21.
Security forces have arrested three militants, including a woman, for allegedly threatening to trigger explosions during the ongoing Sangai tourism festival in Manipur, police said on Thursday. The Manipur Police, along with Assam Rifles, conducted a joint operation and arrested three active cadres of the banned KCP (MFL) on Wednesday, they said. The action came following a video posted on Facebook by a user on November 21, which contained threats to bomb the festival being held from November 21 to November 30, a police officer said. The militants were apprehended from Imphal East, Imphal West and Thoubal districts, he said. Further investigation is underway. The Sangai tourism festival has been boycotted by displaced persons and civil society organisations in the northeastern state. More than 260 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups in Manipur since May 2023.
Hundreds of internally displaced people (IDPs) staying in relief camps here clashed with security forces at Pukhao and near Dolaithabi Dam in Imphal East district on Monday as they attempted to return to their native homes, officials said. IDPs from Ekou, Dolaithabi and Yengkhuman localities, who had been staying in relief camps, attempted to march towards their homes but were stopped by security forces. The security forces fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesters, they said. The IDPs claimed that, as the annual Sangai festival is being held, normalcy has been established in the state, and they should be allowed to return to their homes. A protester, S Kumarjit Meitei told reporters, "We are mostly farmers. Our economic livelihood has been completely cut off after we were forced to flee our homes. Now that the government has said that normalcy has returned. We demand to return home. How long do we stay confined in relief camps. Why can't security forces deal with the milita
Former Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh claimed that certain powerful groups are deliberately trying to divert attention from the core problem of illegal immigrants in the state. Singh also said anti-nationals and anti-state elements must not be allowed to distract from the real issue of infiltrators. "When we began identifying illegal immigrants and refugees from the neighbouring country during the NDA government under my leadership, there was strong criticism from leaders of nearby states," he wrote on X on Friday evening. Singh also said, "Today, every neighbouring state, including Nagaland and Mizoram, has finally realised the gravity of the situation and has taken up strict action." His statement came in the wake of recent media reports of the Mizoram government completing 58.15 per cent of the biometric enrolment of 31,214 Myanmar refugees sheltered across 11 districts of the state. "Mizoram is moving at an impressive pace in identifying illegal immigrants. Yet Manipur,
People demonstrating against the Sangai festival clashed with security forces in Manipur's Imphal East district on Friday, amid a 'cease work' called by the Meitei group COCOMI. The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has been opposing the tourism festival by the state government, stating that organising such an event amid the crisis being faced by families displaced by the ethnic violence was "highly insensitive". The clash happened at Khurai Lamlong when security forces intercepted demonstrators, including several displaced persons, who were marching towards the venue of the festival, an official said. The demonstrators hurled stones at the forces, forcing them to lob several rounds of tear gas shells, he said. Demonstrators claimed that some of them sustained minor injuries as a result of the clash. The 'cease work', effectively a shutdown, affected normal life in the Imphal Valley districts, with markets and other commercial establishments remaining closed sin
At least four militants, belonging to a banned outfit, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Manipur's Churachandpur district on Tuesday morning, police said. Based on inputs about the presence of armed cadres belonging to the proscribed United Kuki National Army (UKNA), an operation was launched around 5.30 am at Khanpi village under Henglep sub-division in the district, a senior officer said. UKNA is not a signatory to the Suspension of Operations pact signed between the Centre, the state government and the Kuki and Zomi militant groups. During the operation, a fierce gunfight broke out between army personnel and the militants, the officer said. "At least four militants were killed during the exchange of fire while several others managed to flee the spot," the officer said, adding that the identities of the deceased are yet to be established. A defence statement also said that in the early hours of Nov 4, terrorists resorted to unprovoked firing on the Army column
Manipur police chief Rajiv Singh on Sunday said that peaceful dialogue is the only solution to resolve the ethnic conflict in the state. Speaking on the sidelines of the 134th Raising Day in Imphal, DGP Singh said, "These are very challenging times but we have been trying to tackle them with the best possible strength, and with the cooperation of everyone." "There are problems which we are trying to solve at the earliest because we also want peace and normalcy as quickly as possible. There has been a lot of damage and normal life has been disrupted... But things have improved in the last one-and-a-half years," Singh said. "Violence, deaths and injuries have come down. There are sporadic incidents of arson and firing, but the security forces are alert and everybody is on the job to see that nothing escalates. "I request communities on both sides to come forward with suggestions and try to talk it out. The only solution to this problem is peaceful dialogue between both communities ..
Amid a major search operation in Manipur, security forces have recovered two rifles, five pistols and several ammunition from Khongakhul and Longa Koireng villages under the limits of Patsoi Police Station in Imphal West district.According to Manipur Police, the security forces on Saturday seized a .303 rifle along with one magazine, a modified .303 rifle along with one magazine, five pistols along with a magazine each, along with helmets, bulletproof vests, and 10 pairs of camouflage outfits."On 11.10.2025, Security Forces recovered from Ngairangbam Loukon IVR connecting Khongakhul & Longa Koireng Villages under Patsoi-PS, Imphal West district the following: i) 01 (one) .303 rifle along with one magazine, ii) 01 (one) modified .303 rifle along with one magazine, iii) 05 (five) pistols along with a magazine each, iv) 05 (five) helmets, v) 04 (four) BP vests cum magazine pouches, vi) 08 (eight) plates suspected to be used as BP, vii) 01 (one) no. of BAOFENG hand held set along ...
Postal services resumed in Manipur's Churachandpur, with a mail van entering the district for the first time since the ethnic violence broke out in Manipur in May 2023, officials said on Saturday. The vehicle reached the district headquarters at 11.30 am on Friday, unloaded letters, parcels and other consignments, and returned to Imphal around 12.40 pm, they said. Regular mail delivery had remained suspended in Churachandpur since the onset of the violence, in which over 260 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless. The resumption of service marks a significant step towards restoring normal communication channels in the region.
Security forces arrested two members of a banned outfit for their alleged involvement in the September 19 ambush on an Assam Rifles convoy in Manipur, which claimed the lives of two personnel, police said on Saturday. "Two cadres of the People's Liberation Army, who were mainly involved in the 19th September ambush on 33 Assam Rifles at Nambol Sabal Leikai, Bishnupur district, have been arrested," a police statement said. One of the two militants was picked up from Assam's Guwahati, but the police did not disclose the location where the other was arrested. Two jawans of the Assam Rifles were killed and five others injured when a group of armed men ambushed a vehicle of the paramilitary force on September 19. The arrested persons were "identified as Thongram Sadananda Singh @ Ngachik @ Purakpa (18) and self-styled Lt Corpl Chongtham Mahesh @ Momo @ Amo Singh (51)", the police said. Chongtham is identified as "a very senior cadre of the banned outfit PLA, associated with the ...
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act was on Friday extended for six months in entire Manipur, except the jurisdiction of 13 police stations, in view of the prevailing law and order situation there. The AFSPA, under which a particular state or some areas are declared "disturbed", has also been extended to nine districts in Nagaland and 21 police station areas in five other districts of the state for six months, according to a notification issued by the Union home ministry. The law was also extended to Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts in Arunachal Pradesh and three police station areas, bordering Assam, in Namsai district in the state. The extension of the disturbed area in the particular areas in the three states will be effective from October 1 for six months. The AFSPA, often criticised as a draconian law, gives armed forces operating in disturbed areas sweeping powers to search, arrest and open fire if they deem it necessary. "And whereas, a further review of the law and
Two jawans of the Assam Rifles were killed and five others were injured when a group of armed men ambushed a vehicle of the paramilitary force in Manipur's Bishnupur district on Friday evening, officials said. The incident took place in the district's Nambol Sabal Leikai area around 5.50 pm. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack till the filing of the report. "A group of gunmen ambushed the vehicle in which Assam Rifles personnel were travelling towards Bishnupur district from Imphal, claiming the life of two jawans and injuring five," an official said. The five injured people were brought to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, a RIMS official told PTI. "... the column was ambushed by unidentified terrorists on the Highway in the denotified area of Manipur. In the ensuing action, two personnel of Assam Rifles were martyred and five were injured who have since been evacuated to RIMS and are currently stable. Search operations are ongoing to apprehend the terror
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Imphal on Saturday on his first visit to Manipur after ethnic violence broke out in May 2023. Modi was received at the Imphal airport by Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel. He will also inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for development projects worth Rs 8,500 crore. In view of Modi's visit, security has been tightened in state capital Imphal and the Churachandpur district. Both state and central forces' personnel were deployed in large numbers in and around the nearly 237-acre Kangla Fort in Imphal and the Peace Ground in Churachandpur, the venues of the PM's rallies. In a statement, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on Friday said, "In line with his commitment to inclusive, sustainable and holistic development of Manipur, the PM will lay the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth over Rs 7,300 crore at Churachandpur." Modi will also inaugurate multiple development projects worth more than
