Indian police have detained 33 individuals following a recent escalation in ethnic violence in Manipur state, where a curfew and internet blackout have been enforced, according to officers on Thursday.
Clashes erupted in Manipur in May 2023, pitting the predominantly Hindu Meitei majority against the mainly Christian Kuki community. This ethnic conflict has resulted in at least 200 fatalities. Since then, communities have fragmented into opposing factions across large parts of the northeastern state, which shares a border with conflict-ridden Myanmar. After a period of relative stability, new hostilities flared up this month.
At least 11 people have died, including in what police described as a "significant escalation" of violence, involving insurgents launching rockets and deploying drones to drop bombs. "In response to the violent protests over the past few days, Manipur Police have arrested 33 people and apprehended seven juveniles," a police statement noted. It appealed to the public "to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in maintaining peace and normalcy."
Authorities have implemented an internet shutdown in several areas, mirroring a prolonged blackout that occurred last year. Police have also imposed a curfew, though hundreds in the state capital, Imphal, have defied the order. Meitei protesters marched through Imphal on Tuesday, demanding that security forces take action against Kuki insurgent groups, whom they hold responsible for the recent wave of attacks.
The long-standing tensions between the Meitei and Kuki communities are rooted in competition for land and public jobs. Rights activists have accused local leaders of exploiting ethnic divisions for political advantage. Manipur is governed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. Last year's fighting displaced around 60,000 people, according to government data, many of whom have yet to return home.
