Fresh violence in Manipur’s Ukhrul district has once again exposed how fragile calm remains in the hill areas, even as the administration struggles to prevent local disputes from spiralling into wider conflict.
On Monday afternoon, armed miscreants allegedly set fire to more houses in Litan Sareikhong village, officials said.
Armed groups also fired several rounds in the air near the hill village, triggering panic and forcing residents to flee with essential belongings to safer areas in neighbouring Kangpokpi district. Several Tangkhul villagers were also reported to have left the area.
The latest flare-up follows violence that first erupted on Saturday night, after a member of the Tangkhul Naga community was allegedly assaulted by seven to eight persons at Litan village.
According to officials, the matter was initially resolved between the victim’s side and the chief of Litan Sareikhong, with both parties agreeing to settle the issue through customary means. A meeting was scheduled for Sunday but did not take place.
Instead, tensions escalated when villagers from nearby Sikibung allegedly attacked the residence of the chief of Litan Sareikhong. Officials said the group also fired several rounds while passing through the vicinity of the Litan police station.
By Sunday night, two tribal groups were engaged in intense stone pelting in the village, prompting the administration to impose prohibitory orders.
The situation worsened around midnight on Monday, when several houses belonging to members of the Tangkhul Naga community were set on fire at Litan Sareikhong, allegedly by Kuki militants.
Officials said a few houses belonging to the Kuki community were also torched in a nearby area. Tangkhul is the largest Naga tribe in Manipur.
As reports of arson mounted, state minister Govindas Konthoujam said the situation on the ground remained tense.
“The ground situation is very tense. Deputy Chief Minister L Dikho is at the spot interacting with villagers. A meeting was held and shortly after that, there were reports of more houses being burnt. Till 5 am today, 17 houses were burnt. Now, altogether 21 houses have been gutted,” Konthoujam told reporters.
“As there are reports of continued violence, additional security forces have been sent,” he added.
Earlier, a team led by deputy chief minister L Dikho, along with Tangkhul Naga civil bodies and a Kuki MLA, held a meeting at Litan.
An official said, “The meeting was attended by the representatives of the Tangkhul Naga Long, Tangkhul Shanao Long along with Assam Rifles officers, Ukhrul MLA, state government officials and representatives from Kuki community.”
Dikho also inspected areas affected by the clash between the Tangkhul and Kuki communities and held meetings with village heads from both sides.
Stressing the need to prevent further escalation, he said both communities had expressed a desire for peace.
“The meeting has been very fruitful and positive. Everyone wants peace. It is difficult to reach a conclusion immediately, but there is consensus that the violence should not continue,” Dikho told reporters.
He said the incident was triggered by the actions of a few individuals and should not be allowed to widen communal fault lines.
“Security forces are quite active and sufficiently deployed. We are doing our best to ensure that peace is restored,” Dikho added. Security personnel have been carrying out foot patrols and have been deployed at critical points in the area.
Chief minister Y. Khemchand Singh also appealed for calm. In a social media post earlier in the day, he said he had visited RIMS Hospital to meet those injured in the violence.
“Visited RIMS Hospital this morning to meet those injured in the unfortunate Litan incident in Ukhrul District & assured all necessary medical support for their speedy recovery,” he said.
“The incident, arising out of a misunderstanding, is now under control. I appeal to all communities to exercise restraint, uphold the rule of law, and maintain peace and harmony,” the chief minister added.
