NEW DELHI: More than 30 village homes were set ablaze in fresh ethnic violence in India’s northeastern state of Manipur, according to Indian media reports, as locals expressed serious concerns over the security situation despite the territory remaining under President’s Rule.
Indian media reported that the violence erupted in Kamjong and Noney districts, where members of the Naga and Kuki communities accused each other of carrying out arson attacks.
The latest unrest displaced hundreds of residents, according to reports, with both communities trading allegations over responsibility for the attacks.
The violence marks a fresh escalation in Manipur, where ethnic tensions have persisted for more than two years despite security operations by Indian authorities.
Opposition criticises Modi government
India’s Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government over the latest violence, saying the situation in Manipur continued to deteriorate.
In a post on X, Gandhi said Manipur had been “burning for years” and that homes had once again been reduced to ashes “in the fire of hatred and violence”.
मणिपुर सालों से जल रहा है, और आज फिर नफ़रत और हिंसा की आग में 20 घर राख हो गए।
दो सरकारों और राष्ट्रपति शासन के बावजूद संघर्ष गहराता ही जा रहा है। हज़ारों लोग अपनी जान गंवा चुके हैं, अनगिनत परिवार उजड़ गए हैं – मणिपुर जिस असहनीय पीड़ा से गुज़र रहा है, उसकी कल्पना भी मुश्किल है।… pic.twitter.com/oT8d2N4Ord
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 2, 2026
“Even with two governments and President’s Rule, the conflict is only deepening. Thousands have lost their lives, countless families have been shattered — the unbearable agony Manipur is enduring is hard even to imagine,” he wrote.
Gandhi said that the ruling BJP was pursuing divisive policies based on religion, caste, language, region and identity.
He also accused Prime Minister Modi of failing to show empathy towards the people of Manipur and called for national unity as the way forward.
Long-running ethnic conflict
Manipur has witnessed recurring violence since May 2023, when clashes broke out between the majority Meitei community and the predominantly Christian Kuki-Zo community.
According to reports, more than 200 people have been killed and over 60,000 displaced since the conflict began. Thousands of families remain displaced across the state.
Reports also said hundreds of churches have been damaged or destroyed and nearly 8,000 homes have been burnt during the violence.
While Indian authorities have described the unrest as an ethnic conflict, some human rights groups have argued that minority Christian communities have been disproportionately affected.
Last month, India News Network reported that the bodies of six members of the Naga community, who had been abducted by an armed group about a month earlier, had been recovered in Manipur.
According to The Hindu newspaper, a Naga organisation called for a strike following the incident and demanded the removal of Manipur’s Deputy Chief Minister.
The India News Network reported that violence in the state since February has claimed around 260 lives and displaced more than 60,000 people.
It also cited experts as saying that separatist movements remain active in parts of Manipur and that the security situation continues to pose serious challenges.
