IMPHAL, November 1, 2026 | THE WORLD’S UPDATE
More than three years after ethnic violence erupted in Manipur in May 2023, the northeastern Indian state continues to witness killings, attacks, destruction of homes and prolonged displacement. Fresh violence reported on November 1 has once again raised a serious question over the ability of the BJP-led state and central governments to restore lasting peace.
The figures presented by the state government itself reveal the scale of the crisis. According to information provided by the Manipur Home Department in response to an RTI application, 58,821 people had been displaced by March 30, 2026. The same response recorded 7,894 completely destroyed houses and another 2,646 partially destroyed houses.
Separately, Manipur’s Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam informed the state Assembly in September that 306 people had been killed and 49 remained missing as of August 31, 2026.
These are not merely statistics. They represent thousands of families who have lost relatives, homes, livelihoods and the security of living in their own communities.
Five more people killed as violence returns
On November 1, Reuters reported that five people had been killed in two separate incidents in Manipur.
According to police statements, three Kuki men died in an exchange of gunfire involving unidentified armed individuals in Noney district on Saturday.
In a separate incident, the bodies of two Kuki men who had gone missing earlier in the week were recovered after security personnel launched a search operation.
The police have not publicly identified those responsible for the killings. A leading Kuki tribal organisation accused Naga armed outfits of involvement, but those allegations have not been established by an independent investigation.
The Indian Express reported that police heightened security after the Noney incident. Following the recovery of the two missing youths, security forces said search and combing operations would continue to identify and apprehend those responsible.
The latest deaths have intensified tensions between Kuki and Naga communities and added another layer to the wider ethnic conflict in Manipur.
May 2023: How the violence began
The major phase of ethnic violence began on May 3, 2023, following a Tribal Solidarity March organised in the hill districts against the demand for Scheduled Tribe status for the Meitei community.
The conflict primarily involved the valley-based Meitei community and the Kuki-Zo communities living largely in the hill districts.
Disagreements over land, political representation, reservations, economic opportunities and competing claims over territory contributed to the escalation.
The violence spread through attacks, retaliatory violence, killings, arson and destruction of civilian property. Thousands of residents were forced to leave their homes.
Over time, the crisis became more complicated, with new tensions and clashes involving Naga and Kuki groups in the hill districts.
Human Rights Watch reported in September 2026 that renewed Naga-Kuki-Zo violence had expanded the existing crisis. The organisation called on Indian authorities to restore security and investigate abuses.
Government’s own figures reveal the scale of destruction
The Manipur Home Department’s RTI response provides a particularly important picture of the humanitarian consequences.
According to the information reported from that response:
- 58,821 people were displaced between May 3, 2023 and March 30, 2026.
- 7,894 permanent houses were completely destroyed.
- 2,646 houses were partially destroyed.
- 174 relief camps were recorded as of March 10, 2026.
- The department reported 217 deaths against which ex-gratia payments had been made to next of kin.
The death figure in that RTI response uses a different reporting basis from the later Assembly figure. The Home Minister subsequently told the Assembly that 306 people had been killed and 49 remained missing as of August 31, 2026.
The difference in these figures should be understood through their respective reporting dates and counting methods, rather than treating them as interchangeable totals.
The destruction of more than 10,000 houses, whether completely or partially, demonstrates the scale of damage to civilian life and property.
BJP governments face accountability questions
The political responsibility for restoring peace in Manipur rests with the governments that have held power during the crisis.
The state was governed by a BJP-led administration under N. Biren Singh when the violence began in May 2023. His government resigned in February 2025, after which President’s Rule was imposed on February 13, 2025.
President’s Rule was later revoked in 2026, and BJP MLA Yumnam Khemchand Singh was sworn in as Chief Minister.
The BJP-led Union government has also remained in power throughout this period, giving the Centre a central role in national security coordination and intervention in the state.
The government’s response cannot be assessed only through announcements, deployments or assurances. It must also be measured against whether civilians are safe, whether displaced families can return home, whether attacks have stopped and whether those responsible for crimes are being brought to justice.
The available record shows that, despite successive administrative arrangements and security measures, the state has not achieved lasting peace. Fresh killings in November 2026 demonstrate that the security crisis remains unresolved.
This raises serious questions about the effectiveness of both the state and central governments’ approach.
Security operations continue, but peace remains elusive
Following the latest incidents, police increased security and joint security forces continued search operations to identify and apprehend those responsible.
These steps are necessary, but the larger question remains: why are armed attacks and retaliatory violence continuing after more than three years?
The government must explain what measures are being taken to prevent further killings, stop the circulation of illegal weapons, protect vulnerable villages and ensure that investigations lead to prosecutions.
It must also publish clear progress reports on the rehabilitation of displaced families, reconstruction of destroyed homes and the functioning of relief camps.
The people of Manipur deserve more than repeated promises of normalcy. They deserve measurable improvements in their safety and living conditions.
When will Manipur finally get peace?
More than three years have passed since the violence began. Hundreds of lives have been lost, tens of thousands of people have been displaced and thousands of houses have been destroyed.
Fresh killings continue to emerge even as governments change and new security arrangements are introduced.
The BJP-led governments at the state and central levels must answer for the continuing failure to establish lasting peace. They must provide a transparent account of investigations, civilian protection, rehabilitation and the steps being taken to prevent further violence.
No political explanation can erase the suffering of families who have lost loved ones or remain unable to return to their homes.
The people of Manipur should not have to wait indefinitely for peace.
How many more people must die? How many more homes must be destroyed? How many more families must remain displaced before the government can restore security?
Manipur needs justice, accountability, equal protection for every community and a credible political process that can end the cycle of violence.
The question remains: When will the violence stop, and when will the people of Manipur finally be able to live in peace?
Sources & References
- Reuters — Five killed in fresh ethnic violence in India’s Manipur state, November 1, 2026.
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/five-killed-fresh-ethnic-violence-indias-manipur-state-2026-11-01/ - The Indian Express — Three Kuki-Zo men killed in exchange of fire with unidentified militants, November 1, 2026.
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/manipur-noney-district-violence-kekru-naga-three-kuki-zo-men-killed-10945215/lite/ - The Indian Express — Two missing Kuki youths found dead in Manipur, November 1, 2026.
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/manipur-senapati-missing-kuki-youths-bodies-recovered-kangpokpi-tensions-10945955/ - The Tribune — 306 dead, 49 missing in Manipur violence: Home Minister tells Assembly, September 2026.
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/india/306-dead-49-missing-in-manipur-violence-home-minister-govindas-konthoujam/amp - FACT — RTI reveals 58,821 displaced, 217 dead and thousands of houses destroyed in Manipur, 2026.
https://www.fact.net.in/states/manipur/rti-reveals-58821-displaced-217-dead-in-manipur-ethnic-violence-since-2023 - Human Rights Watch — India: Renewed Ethnic Violence in Manipur, September 3, 2026.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/09/03/india-renewed-ethnic-violence-in-manipur - Akashvani News — President’s Rule revoked in Manipur; Yumnam Khemchand Singh sworn in as Chief Minister, 2026.
https://newsonair.gov.in/presidents-rule-revoked-in-manipur/
THE WORLD’S UPDATE
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