The 48-hour state-wide bandh called by Meitei organisation Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) in protest against the removal of the state's name from a government bus affected normal life across the five districts of Imphal Valley on Thursday. All business establishments, educational institutions, and government and private offices were closed and public transport remained off the roads. At Wangkhei, Khurai, Kongba in Imphal East district and Kwakeithel, Naoremthong in Imphal West district, bandh supporters came out on the streets to enforce the shutdown and asked any individual outside their homes to return back. The bandh started on Wednesday midnight. Bandh supporters also burned tyres on the roads at Naoremthong, Kwakeithel, Khurai and Wangkhei in state capital Imphal. Security has been tightened across Imphal to prevent any untoward incident. Central forces personnel have been deployed at strategic places across all points leading to the Raj Bhavan. The Man
Manipur Police have denied the existence of 'Kuki Zo Village Volunteers Eastern Zone' group which had issued a directive threatening members of the Meitei community against entering Kuki areas during the upcoming state-level tourism event of 'Shirui Lily Festival'. In a statement, police said, "It has come to the notice of Manipur Police that a press statement dated 11th May 2025 issued by one unknown organisation Kuki Zo Village Volunteer-Eastern Zone (KZVV-EZ), is being circulated on social media and local vernaculars. The unknown organisation has warned members of the Meitei community against entering or crossing Kuki-inhabited areas for the upcoming Shirui Festival." Following an enquiry by the district police, no such organisation has been found, it said, requesting the general public "not to believe such unfounded and baseless press note issued by the unknown organisation". "Police will make adequate security arrangements to ensure and facilitate free movement of the public ..
The Congress on Saturday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "continues to shun" Manipur and Union Home Minister Amit Shah proved to be a "big failure" in managing the situation in the state which has been in the grip of ethnic strife since 2023. Congress General Secretary In-charge, Communications, Jairam Ramesh said the BJP formed a government in Manipur with a massive mandate in February 2022, and exactly two years ago today, the state erupted in sectarian violence. "What began on May 3, 2023, therefore, was the self-dictated, self-directed derailment of the so-called double engine sarkar in the state. Three months later, the Supreme Court was compelled to declare that there had been an absolute breakdown of Constitutional machinery in the state," Ramesh said on X. Faced with a no-confidence motion to be moved by the Congress in the state assembly, the Modi government forced the CM to resign and finally imposed President's Rule on February 13, 2025 -- twenty months after th
Shutdown called by various groups on Saturday to mark two years of the ethnic strife in Manipur affected normal lives in both the Maitei-controlled Imphal Valley and the Kuki-dominated hill districts. Meitei group Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) called a shutdown in the valley districts, while the Zomi Students Federation (ZSF) and the Kuki Students Organisation (KSO) have imposed the shutdown in the hill districts. It was on this day in 2023 that ethnic clashes broke out between the Meteis and Kukis, which left over 260 people killed, 1,500 injured, and over 70,000 people displaced, according to officials. Markets were shut, public vehicles remained off the roads, and private offices remained closed across the state. A few private vehicles were seen on the roads in the morning. Schools, colleges and other institutes were also shut. Security forces have also been deployed at key locations to prevent any unwanted activities, officials said. COCOMI will hold ..
Prohibitory orders were imposed in parts of Manipur's Tamenglong district after a clash between two Naga villages over a land dispute left at least 25 people, including 12 security personnel, injured, officials said on Thursday. The incident happened on Wednesday evening when about 2,000 residents of Old Tamenglong village were marching to the deputy commissioner and SP's office to submit a memorandum over the land dispute, they said. Residents of Dailong village allegedly hurled stones at the procession, leading to the clash. People of the nearby Duigailong village also joined the fight, in support of Dailong, they added. During the violence, the inspection bungalow of the Public Works Department (PWD) was set on fire, officials said. Police lobbed tear gas shells to control the situation, they said. At least 25 people, including 12 security personnel, were injured in the violence, they said. Following the clashes, restrictions under Section 163 of the BNSS were imposed in the .
Kuki-Zo civil society organisations have "warned" the Meitei community against climbing the Thangjing Hill in Manipur's Churachandpur district, stating that any attempts "will be opposed tooth and nail". The Thangjing Hill is considered a sacred site for Meiteis who visit it in April. In a statement, six Kuki-Zo groups said any attempt to climb the hills would be viewed as a "direct challenge". "There is speculation that the Meitei community intends to cross the buffer zone for Chinga Kaba at Thangting Hill in the month of April. No political settlement has been reached between the Government of India and the Kuki-Zo community, and without such an agreement, the Meitei community has no jurisdiction to enter Kuki-Zo land," it said. "Whoever attempts to cross the buffer zone shall be considered a direct challenge to the Kuki-Zo community, and any untoward incidents that occur during such attempts shall be solely the responsibility of those who undertake them," it added. The groups,
The Centre on Saturday held a meeting with representatives of Manipur's warring Meitei and Kuki communities, in an effort to bring a lasting peace in the restive state. Sources said the meeting was held as part of the central government's initiatives to find an amicable solution to the ongoing conflict between the two communities, which began on May 2023. The meeting was aimed at enhancing trust and cooperation between the Meiteis and Kukis and finding a roadmap to restore peace and normalcy in Manipur, sources said. The discussions also stressed on maintaining law and order and facilitating reconciliation between the two communities, they said. A six-member Meitei delegation comprising representatives from the All Manipur United Clubs' Organisation (AMUCO) and the Federation of Civil Society Organisations (FOCS) attended the meeting. The Kuki delegation comprised about nine representatives. The central government interlocutors included A K Mishra, a retired special director of t
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said the situation in Manipur is largely under control as there has been no death in the last four months but it can't be considered satisfactory as the displaced people are still living in relief camps. Replying to a short debate in Lok Sabha, which adopted a Statutory Resolution confirming the imposition of President's rule in Manipur, Shah also said that after the imposition of President's rule in Manipur, discussions were held with the Meiteis and the Kukis and separate meetings were conducted with different organisations from both the communities. The Ministry of Home Affairs will soon convene a joint meeting, he said, adding while the government is working to find a path to end the violence, the top priority is to establish peace. President's rule in Manipur was imposed on February 13 after the then chief minister N Biren Singh resigned on February 9 following months of ethnic violence which started in May 2023. Shah said the oppositi
The Congress on Thursday accused the government of "bulldozing" in the Lok Sabha the statutory resolution confirming the imposition of President's rule in Manipur, and said this was "adding insult to injury". Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the "frequent flier flies off again". "This time it is to Bangkok. Look East by all means but why continue to ignore Manipur?" Ramesh said on X. "And why bulldoze the proclamation on President's Rule in the state at 2AM this morning in the Lok Sabha, leaving just an hour for debate and discussion but just about enough time for the Home Minister's falsehoods, twists, and distortions? This is adding insult to injury," the Congress leader said. Ramesh's remarks came after the Lok Sabha early Thursday adopted a Statutory Resolution confirming the imposition of President's rule in Manipur. Replying to a short debate, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the governm
Former Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh on Wednesday said that thousands of refugees settled in the state since 1960s with the knowledge of the authorities and those people were provided assistance for rehabilitation. Singh, who resigned as the chief minister in February leading to imposition of President's Rule in the restive state, also wondered what happened to those families and whether those people were added to the electoral roll. His comments, made in a lengthy post on X, came a day after BJP MLAs of Manipur sought a review of the 2001 Census and implementation of the NRC before carrying out delimitation exercise in the state. Singh, when he was the CM, and the Centre accused illegal immigrants from Myanmar of largely being responsible for the ethnic violence in the state which left more than 250 people dead since May 2023. Official records show that even before we became a full-fledged state, thousands of refugees were settled here with the knowledge of the authorities
Ahead of the April 5 talks between Kuki Zo and Meitei groups called by the Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi, the Kuki leadership based in Manipur's Kangpokpi district has set up three pre-conditions including no cross movement between Meitei and Kukis in the areas where the other community is in majority. Kuki Zo Council (KZC) chairman Henlianthang Thanglet said the three conditions were set up during a consultation meet organised at Kangpokpi by the Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU) on Tuesday. Thanglet said the three pre-conditions are "the movement of Meitei individuals in Kuki-Zo-dominated areas and vice versa shall be strictly restricted, hostilities shall be halted for a minimum period of six months to facilitate negotiations, a structured formal and meaningful dialogue process must be initiated during the ceasefire period." A functionary of the Kuki Zo Council said the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has called for a meeting between the Kuki Zo and Meitei groups in New Del
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said the situation in Manipur is now relatively peaceful and the government is holding discussions with the Meitei and the Kuki communities, who are also talking among themselves, for establishing lasting peace. He also said the President's rule was imposed in Manipur at an appropriate time to restore normalcy in the state. "Now situation is relatively peaceful. Normal life has resumed. The Home Ministry has held separate meetings with both the communities. Both the communities have also talked to each other. Gradually things are moving in positive direction. There is no reason for worry now," he said at Times Now Summit, 2025, on Friday night. The home minister said this is not the first time the state is witnessing ethnic violence. It has endured such strife in the past, and even for longer durations like three to four years, he said. Asked whether there was a delay in the imposition of the central rule in Manipur, Shah said it was easier to comm
Authorities are conducting high-level security coordination meetings to strategise further search operations
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Sunday said progress has been made in the process of restoring peace in Manipur and there was a need to move further ahead. He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here to mark the 12th anniversary of the establishment of the Manipur High Court. On alleged discovery of cash at the residence of Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma, the minister said the country's top court was probing the matter. "The Supreme Court is probing the matter... let the report of the committee come... we will talk after that." Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna on Saturday constituted a three-member committee to conduct an in-house inquiry into allegations against Justice Varma from whose official residence a large stash of cash was allegedly discovered after a fire, and directed that no judicial work be assigned to him. On Manipur violence, the minister said the situation in the strife-torn state was improving. "We have progressed in the pr
The situation in Manipur's curfew-bound Churachandpur district remained tense on Thursday, two days after clashes between the Hmar and Zomi communities left one dead and several injured, police said. Schools and shops remained shut, while church leaders and civil society groups worked to restore peace, an official told PTI. Security personnel conducted flag marches on Wednesday night to prevent further violence. At least one person, 51-year-old Lalropui Pakhuangte from the Hmar community, was killed in Tuesday night's clashes. He suffered bullet injuries and was taken to Sielmat Christian Hospital, where he was declared dead. The clashes between the two tribes started after Hmar Inpui general secretary Richard Hmar was attacked by some Zomi people on Sunday, leading to violence and imposition of curfew in the district the next day. Meanwhile, several displaced people from the Kuki community in relief camps were moved to safer locations. Churachandpur town is mainly home to Zomi
Manipur remained tense but under control in the past 24 hours as security forces conducted search operations in sensitive areas
The Kuki-Zo Council in Manipur on Thursday lifted the indefinite shutdown in the hill areas imposed since March 9 midnight, but remains firm in opposing the free movement announced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the council said in a statement. "While the shutdown has been lifted from Thursday evening, it is imperative to clarify that the free movement, as announced by the Home Ministry, shall be vehemently opposed by the Kuki-Zo people, as it undermines and dilutes the justice process," the statement read. On March 1, Shah had directed security forces to ensure free movement of people on all routes in Manipur from March 8 and also called for strict action against those creating obstructions. There has been an indefinite shutdown in Kuki-Zo areas since Saturday after a youth died and over 40 were injured after protestors clashed with security forces in Kangpokpi district while trying to prevent the movement of a bus from Imphal through their zone. Reaffirming its demand for a ..
A civil society organisation of Meiteis on Thursday claimed that MHA Advisor for North East A K Mishra has told them that the Centre has prepared a roadmap for peace in ethnic strife-hit Manipur. Federation of Civil Society (FOCS) Spokesperson Ngangbam Chamchan Singh told reporters here on Thursday that Mishra told them on Wednesday that the first phase of the roadmap for peace in Manipur has already been implemented. Singh said, "A FOCS delegation met the MHA Advisor and other officials at the Old Secretariat (in Imphal) on Wednesday following an invitation during which Mishra informed them that the Centre has prepared a roadmap to end the ongoing conflict in the state and it will be implemented in phases." The FOCS spokesperson said, "Mishra informed us that the roadmap includes surrender of weapons, reopening of roads, and curbing activities of armed groups. In connection with this, on February 20, the governor had called for the surrender of all arms. Movement of all people on a
The operations resulted in the recovery of 25 weapons, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), grenades, ammunition and other war-like stores
Manipur's Kangpokpi district witnessed fresh unrest on Saturday as security forces fired tear gas to disperse protesters opposing Union Home Minister Amit Shah's directive for free movement across the state from March 8 and a peace march by a Meitei organisation. Police said demonstrators clashed with security personnel, pelted stones, leading to injuries. Demonstrators burnt a few private vehicles as they attempted to stop the movement of a state transport bus heading for Senapati district from Imphal. Protesters also burnt tyres along the NH-2 (Imphal-Dimapur highway) and gathered in the middle of the roads to stop any movement of state government vehicles. The protest was also directed against the peace march by the Federation of Civil Society (FOCS), a Meitei body. The peace march that was underway in more than 10 four-wheelers was, however, stopped by security forces at Sekmai on way to Kangpokpi district. Police had earlier said they have been told to stop the march as they