IMPHAL, India: More than 30 houses and several vehicles and other properties were damaged after unidentified armed men attacked three Liangmai Naga villages in India’s northeastern Manipur state on Tuesday, police said, in the latest violence to hit the region after more than three years of ethnic conflict.
The attacks took place around 4:00 am on Tuesday in Tapon Khullen, Tapon Khunou and Makui Pipuram villages in Kangpokpi district along the Imphal-Tamenglong road, according to Kangpokpi police. At least 30 houses were set ablaze, and one villager was injured, police said.
Police said continued gunfire followed the attacks and continued until around 12:30 pm.
An excavator, a Gypsy vehicle, a pickup truck and a truck were also damaged during the arson, police said. The full extent of the damage in Makui Pipuram was still being assessed, police added.
Indian media reports said other Naga settlements along the Imphal-Tamenglong road were also targeted. Tapon Khunou and Tapon Khullen were among the villages attacked, while Pipuram, a Liangmai Naga village about eight kilometres from Makui, was also set ablaze, according to Indian media reports.
Surge in violence in Manipur
The latest attacks came a day after armed men attacked Teikhang, a village in Kangpokpi district, killing three people, including two women, and injuring four others, according to police.
The incidents have added to concerns over the persistence of violence in Manipur despite a heavy security presence. Indian Army and paramilitary forces have been deployed across the state since the conflict erupted in May 2023. However, the security forces have failed to control the increasing violence.
Manipur has remained divided along ethnic lines, with the predominantly Hindu Meitei community and the mostly Christian Kuki-Zo community at the centre of the conflict.
Also Read: Deadly Violence Spreads in India’s Manipur State as Opposition Questions Modi’s Silence
More than 260 people have been killed and around 60,000 displaced by repeated clashes, arson attacks and bombings, according to figures cited in Indian media reports.
Criticism of Modi government
The prolonged conflict has drawn widespread criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government over its handling of the crisis.
Opposition leaders and activists have accused the federal and state authorities of failing to restore lasting peace and prevent recurring violence. They have also questioned Modi’s continued silence over the crisis.
The government deployed additional paramilitary forces after the violence first erupted, while security operations have continued across the state.
Despite those measures, fresh clashes and attacks have persisted.
