In brief
Five people died in two separate clashes in Manipur’s Kangpokpi and Noney districts on November 2, 2026. The incidents involved the Kuki and Naga tribes amid a broader conflict over the Meitei community’s status as a scheduled tribe. Local officials report over 300 deaths in the ongoing violence that began in May 2023.
Five people were killed in separate clashes in Manipur’s Kangpokpi and Noney districts, officials said on Monday, November 2, 2026.
In Kangpokpi, tensions flared after the bodies of two Kuki men who had gone missing from Taphou Kuki village on Oct. 28 were recovered. Government forces used tear gas and baton charges to disperse the crowd, and several protesters were reported injured.
The second incident occurred on Saturday in Kekru Naga village in Noney district. Police said an exchange of gunfire between two armed groups killed three Kuki men. An extensive search operation is underway to identify those responsible.
A leading Kuki tribal organization blamed Naga outfits for the killings, a claim that underscores the deep mistrust between the communities.
The violence is part of a longer conflict that began on May 3, 2023, when a tribal protest over the inclusion of the non‑tribal Meitei community in the scheduled tribe list sparked large‑scale clashes. Local government officials say at least 306 people have been killed and 49 others are missing as a result.
India’s federal government imposed direct rule on Manipur in February last year, a measure that lasted nearly a year before being revoked in February 2026.
The ongoing clashes highlight the fragile situation in Manipur’s tribal areas, where each new incident threatens to raise the death toll and deepen ethnic divisions.
Authorities are urging calm while continuing investigations, but the community’s apprehensions remain high as the state braces for further unrest.
