Amid escalating ethnic and political tensions, the Manipur Police offices in India witnessed an unprecedented scene on Thursday as approximately 300-400 people attempted to storm its buildings. The unrest was triggered by the firing of a local ethnic minority police officer, leading to the intervention of the law enforcement agencies using tear gas, a move that further escalated the tensions among rival ethnic groups in the region.
The clashes, primarily taking place in Churachandpur, are not an isolated incident. They form part of a rising tide of ongoing tensions between the Meitei and Kuki ethnic groups that have been on edge since a court order from the High Court of Manipur favored considerations for the Meitei community to be included in the Scheduled Tribes list—a move that offers multiple government protections, including reserved posts in government jobs and admissions to educational institutions.
With last year’s ethnic violence still fresh in memory, Churachandpur has once again become a hotspot of unrest. The suspension of a Kuki constable served as the spark for recent protests that violently escalated and clashed with security forces, necessitating the temporary cessation of mobile Internet services in the area for five days.
In response to the rapidly deteriorating situation, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF)—a representative body of the region’s indigenous populations—demanded the removal of the district police chief Shivanand Surve within 24 hours, holding him accountable for the escalating tensions.
The incidents of violence that have plagued Manipur since the start of the year have recorded multiple fatalities and dozens of injuries. As the situation remains volatile, professionals following the development should prioritize the safety of themselves and their teams when in the region.