The accused, identified as Nokjaging Baite Kuki, alias Tiger (38), was apprehended on May 22 from Ngathal village in Churachandpur.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Image for the purpose of representation only.
| Photo Credit: File

Imphal:

Seizure of arms, ammunition, and explosives in Mizoram by the security forces continues unabated with 3,000 electric detonators, 700 metres cordtex, and war-like stores recovered on Sunday in the bordering state and two Myanmar nationals apprehended, officials said.

A defence spokesman said that acting on specific intelligence of the presence of explosives and accessories at Vokte Kai areas of border town Zokhawtar in the Champhai district, Assam Rifles and Mizoram Police launched a joint operation and seized the explosives.

Two bike-borne Myanmar nationals were arrested and from their possession recovered 3,000 electric detonators, 700 metres of cordtex and war-like stores.

The Myanmarese nationals and the recovered items have been handed over to Mizoram Police for further legal action.

Police suspect the Myanmar nationals are trying to smuggle the explosive materials to their country from Mizoram.

Sunday’s seizure of explosive materials is the second such incident in the past two weeks.

On February 3, Assam Rifles and Mizoram Police intercepted two vehicles, apprehended two persons and recovered 800 detonators and 2,000 gelatine sticks from their possession.

On February 12, Mizoram Police intercepted a car at Lunglei Bazar in southern Mizoram and recovered two AK-47 rifles, five US-made M4 carbines, 20 magazines, 504 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, and 4,675 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition.

The police personnel also recovered Rs 49,550 in cash, some documents, SIM cards, ATM cards and five mobile phones.

Three persons — two residents of Mizoram, and one from neighbouring Tripura, who were carrying the arms and ammunition in the car, were also arrested.

They belong to the Chakma community.

On January 15, Mizoram Police seized a large cache of arms and ammunition from Saithah village in bordering Mamit district, which also shares an unfenced border with Bangladesh.

The arms and ammunition seized include six AK-47 rifles, 10,050 cartridges of AK-47 rifles and 13 magazines.

Police suspect that these arms and ammunition were intended to be smuggled to Bangladesh, where militants or inimical elements might use these weapons for their nefarious activities or violence.

Even as six Mizoram districts — Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual and Serchhip — share a 510-km-long unfenced border with Myanmar’s Chin state, mountainous Champhai district is the hot spot for smuggling of various drugs, arms and ammunition and various other contraband.

Various drugs, especially heroin and highly addictive methamphetamine tablets, arms and ammunition are often smuggled into the northeastern states of India from Myanmar, which shares a 1,643-km-long unfenced border with four northeastern states — Arunachal Pradesh (520 km), Manipur (398 km), Nagaland (215 km) and Mizoram (510 km).

In a series of successful joint operations, Indian Army including Assam Rifles in coordination with Manipur Police and other security forces, recovered 35 weapons, ammunition and warlike stores from both hill and valley regions in the districts of Thoubal, Tengnoupal, Bishnupur, Churchandpur, Imphal West, Noney, Jidribam and Kakching in Manipur.                           

Acting on specific intelligence, the Indian Army, in coordination with Assam Rifles and Manipur Police launched a joint operation in Lungkhongjang ridge North of Bungte Chiru village in Bishnupur district and recovered one modified sniper rifle, five 9 mm pistols, two single barrel rifles, grenades, ammunition and war like stores.

Based on specific inputs, Indian Army launched another operation in near Khuga river and fringes of Dampi Ridge located at border areas of Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts in collaboration with CRPF and Manipur Police and recovered one 9mm Sub Machine Gun, one .303 rifle, one pistol, one single barrel breach loaded gun, one country made mortar, one grenade launcher, grenades ammunition and war like stores.

In Tengnoupal district, Assam Rifles on receiving specific intelligence of attempts of infiltration on 20 January 2025 along the Indo-Myanmar Borde near Yangoupokpi, laid ambushes along the likely infiltration route, and apprehended a cadre. On questioning the arrested individual stated his affiliation with the Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL).

An intelligence-based operation of presence of arms and ammunition launched by Assam Rifles  in general area Maohing, Noney District on 20 Jan 25 resulted in recovery of a 9mm country made pistol, one .303 rifle, one improvised projectile launcher, grenades, ammunition and war like stores.

On 23 Jan 25, intelligence based joint operations was conducted by Assam Rifles and Manipur Police in general area of Ngamukhong Fungi Ching (Leingangpokpi) in Thoubal District, which resulted in recovery of one country-made pistol, one single-bore country-made rifle, ten No. 36 hand grenades ammunition and war like stores.

On the same day, Assam Rifles, in a joint operation with Manipur Police including Commando Teams, launched in the area between Heirok and Wangjing in Thoubal district, apprehended two KCP(PWG) cadres along with two 9mm pistols, ammunition and war like stores.

In Jiribam district a cordon and search operation launched by Assam Rifles and Manipur Police in general area between Zairawn and Uchatol in Jiribam district on 23 Jan 25 resulted in recovery of one carbine, one single barrel gun, grenades and ammunition.

In Chandel district, the Assam Rifles conducted a successful operation on 24 January 2025 between Gamngai and Pheijang and recovered one 9mm Pistol, one locally made Mortar (Pompi), one Improvised Explosive Device (IED, (approx 1 kg), grenades, ammunition and ear like stores.

On the same day in Imphal West district, Assam Rifles, along with Manipur Police launched a joint search operation in the general area of Potsangbam Khullen Hill Range in Imphal West District and recovered, one self-loading rifle, one carbine machine gun, one .32 caliber country-made pistol, two 51mm mortars, grenades and ammunition.

In Kakching district, Assam Rifles in a joint operation with Manipur Police launched an intelligence based joint operation in the general area Thangjao Mamang Ching, on 25 January 2025 and recovered one Modified .303 Sniper Rifle, Airgun Rifle, Grenades, ammunition and war like stores.

On the same day in Imphal West District, Assam Rifles and Manipur Police launched a joiunt search operation in general area Sekmai (Tendongyan) and recovered one .303 rifle, one 9mm pistol, one .32 caliber pistol, hand grenades and ammunition.

The apprehended individuals, recovered weapons and other items recovered in the operations have been handed over to Manipur Police.

The successful recovery of these warlike stores highlights the seamless cooperation between the Indian Army and other law enforcement agencies, demonstrating their commitment to ensuring the security and safety of the region.

Imphal:

The Assam Rifles alone destroyed 354 acres of illicit poppy cultivation this year, primarily in three Manipur districts — Ukhrul, Churachandpur and Chandel. A defence spokesman said that through meticulously planned joint operations, the force successfully identified and destroyed 354 acres of illicit poppy cultivation, primarily in the districts of Ukhrul, Churachandpur, and Chandel.

The Assam Rifles continued its determination to fight against the menace of poppy cultivation along the India-Myanmar border, he said.

The spokesman said that by eliminating poppy fields and striking at the roots of narco-trade, Assam Rifles has reaffirmed its commitment towards ensuring stability and security in Manipur and beyond.

According to the defence official, the battle against poppy cultivation has been a consistent priority for the paramilitary force, as reflected in its sustained efforts over the years.

In 2020 the force identified a staggering 8,057 acres of poppy fields, of which 1,695 acres were destroyed. This trend of rigorous action continued in subsequent years with 5,610 acres identified and 1,976 acres destroyed in 2021.

The Assam Rifles intensified its operations in 2022 identifying 494 acres and destroying 715 acres, including previously undiscovered patches. In 2023, 1,735 acres were identified and 1,488 acres were eradicated.

By 2024 the area of identified poppy fields had declined significantly, reflecting the success of the state and Central governments and security forces’ multi-pronged strategy, the spokesman pointed out.

Noting that the ongoing ethnic crisis in Manipur, no single agency can effectively address this challenge alone, the spokesman said that collaborative operations have proven essential, with Assam Rifles actively coordinating with state and central agencies, including the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Manipur Police and other CAPFs deployed in the area.

The NCB, as the nodal agency for drug enforcement under the Ministry of Home Affairs, ensured synergy among all stakeholders during operations, especially during the opium harvesting seasons. Joint operations have focused on curbing cultivation, disrupting supply chains and dismantling the networks sustaining the illicit drug trade.

The security cover provided by the force has ensured the safe execution of destruction operations in vulnerable and conflict-prone areas.

5.7 ACRES OF POPPY PLANTATION DESTROYED AT THINGHANGJANG AREA, CHURACHANDPUR.

Well done, combined team of Churachandpur Police, 36 AR, CCPur Forest Division, and NAB for their successful operation in the Thinghangjang area under Tuibuong Sub-division. The destruction of… pic.twitter.com/MKUSZgV3ht

— N. Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) December 14, 2024

Assam Rifles deftly incorporated advanced technology, such as drone surveillance in identifying poppy fields in inaccessible terrains.

An official statement said that these high-tech measures are complemented by actionable intelligence from local communities and inputs from civil society organisations (CSOs).

The Leveraging of Technology and Community Support has significantly enhanced the effectiveness of operations, ensuring a swift and targeted approach. Additionally, the Force has also maintained a robust ground presence through Area Domination Patrols in traditional cultivation zones. This persistent vigilance has acted as a deterrent to the resurgence of illegal farming practices, the statement said.

Beyond destruction campaigns, Assam Rifles has also prioritised addressing the socio-economic factors driving poppy cultivation.

Under its “Drug-Free Manipur” initiative, the Force has conducted extensive awareness drives to educate communities about the perils of drug addiction and the risks associated with illegal farming.

Through regular interactions with villagers and local leaders, the force has actively promoted sustainable livelihood options, encouraging a shift toward legitimate and long-term economic activities.

Assam Rifles’ zero-tolerance policy against narcotics-related activities has led to legal actions against defaulters, including cultivators and financiers. These measures, combined with efforts to restrict cross-border narcotics trafficking, have disrupted the infrastructure supporting poppy cultivation.

An over-three-decade-old issue is set to be resolved with the Assam Rifles and the Mizoram government arriving at an agreement for the paramilitary force to move out of its battalion headquarters in the heart of the state capital, Aizawl, to an area 15 km from the city. 

In 1988, 12 civilians had been killed by personnel from the Assam Rifles and the state government, led by then chief minister Laldenga, had demanded that the force shift out of the capital. 

On Saturday, Chief Minister Lalduhoma said the Assam Rifles will start moving out of the Aizawl headquarters in April to a base in Zokhawsang, about 15 km from the city. He said a memorandum of agreement (MoA) was signed at Mizoram House in New Delhi on Wednesday.  

The signatories to the agreement are Vanlaldina Fanai, Commissioner and Secretary to the Government of Mizoram, and Lieutenant General Vikas Lakhera, the Director General of Assam Rifles. 

Mr Lalduhoma said the MoA will come into effect from April 1, 2025, and construction of some facilities at Zokhawsang is yet to be completed.

The chief minister added that the Government of Mizoram will pay a depreciated cost to Assam Rifles by April 2025 and all the places handed over by the force to the state will be reserved for public purposes under the Mizoram (Restriction on Use of Transferred Land) Act, 2022.

Imphal. Manipur:

In a coordinated effort, troops of the Indian Army, Assam Rifles, Manipur Police, and other security forces deployed in Manipur successfully recovered 12 weapons, ammunition, and warlike stores, according to a press release from the Indian Army.

According to an official release, the Indian Army, Assam Rifles, Manipur Police, and other security forces have been relentlessly carrying out intelligence-based joint operations in both the hill and valley regions in Manipur.

The close coordination and synergy amongst the various security forces have resulted in the recovery of 12 weapons, ammunition, and war-like stores in the previous week.

On October 15, 2024, the Indian Army along with Manipur Police launched a search and recovery operation in the general area of Leirongthel Pitra, which is located in the fringe areas of Thoubal district, Manipur, and recovered one AK 56 Rifle, one SLR, one Carbine Machine Gun, one Single Barrel Rifle, one Pistol, Grenades, ammunition and war like stores.

Similarly, on October 16, 24, Assam Rifles and Manipur Police launched an intelligence-based operation near Cannan Veng village, Churachandpur District, Manipur, and recovered one .303 Rifle, five Single Barrel Rifles, one 9mm Pistol, ammunition, and war like stores.

The recovered items have been handed over to Manipur Police.

The recent joint operations involving the Indian Army, Assam Rifles, Manipur Police, and other security forces illustrate a remarkable synergy in their efforts to restore peace in the region.

The successful recovery of arms, ammunition, and war-like stores underscores their unwavering commitment to ensure stability.

This collaborative approach not only enhances operational effectiveness but also fosters trust among local communities, paving the way for a quicker return to normalcy.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Aizawl:

The Assam Rifles today said their posts across Mizoram faced an electricity outage for several hours on Thursday after soldiers allegedly stopped the convoy of Mizoram Power Minister F Rodingliana. Mr Rodingliana on Friday alleged his convoy was stopped by Assam Rifles soldiers on the outskirts of Aizawl while he was returning home from Champhai.

This led to a confrontation between officials accompanying and the paramilitary troops.

An official statement said the power outage across Assam Rifles’ posts and locations in Mizoram, following the incident, jeopardises operational readiness and poses a security risk in border (Myanmar) areas.

“The power outage (on Thursday) affecting Assam Rifles posts across Mizoram appears to be a deliberate move aimed at obstructing their operations,” the statement said.

Media reports said electricity supply was restored after six to seven hours when Assam Rifles commanders requested Chief Minister Lalduhoma.

The AR said that on October 17, a mobile vehicle checkpost was set up near Zokhawsang based on intelligence inputs about the possible transport of weapons.

“When the convoy of Rodingliana, comprising four vehicles, approached the checkpoint, the minister’s vehicle was allowed to pass as per standard procedures. However, the convoy voluntarily stopped at the location where routine checks were being conducted on civilian vehicles. This contradicts the claim that Assam Rifles forcibly halted the convoy,” the statement said.

It said that the public secretary to the minister, who came out of his vehicle, removed his jacket, verbally abused the Assam Rifles personnel on duty and forcibly took body cameras from the soldiers, while other members of the convoy engaged in disruptive behaviour, including unpatriotic remarks.

“Assam Rifles has consistently worked harmoniously with the Mizoram government, civil society organisations, and local communities, and has built strong relationships. The Power Minister appears to have acted on his own accord,” the AR said in the statement.

The statement said the AR is mandated to guard the 510-km India-Myanmar border section in Mizoram and is also tasked with countering illegal drug trade under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

The AR this year so far in over 130 operations have seized drugs worth over Rs 690 crore in Mizoram, mostly along areas bordering Myanmar.

The reports concerning the incident involving the convoy of the minister and Assam Rifles on October 17 are “misleading, malicious, and seem intended to damage the reputation of Assam Rifles,” the statement added.

The Opposition party Mizo National Front (MNF) alleged the Assam Rifles troopers “misbehaved” with the minister while the only Congress MLA C Ngunlianchunga and party president Lal Thanzara also blamed the AR and termed the incident “most unfortunate.”

Mizoram’s student body Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) and the youth wing of the ruling Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) said the action of Assam Rifles was an insult to the Mizo people, who elected the minister as their representative.

The MZP said it would file a complaint with the Home Ministry over Thursday’s incident.

Imphal/Guwahati/New Delhi:

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh today called a meeting of all MLAs to discuss the situation in the violence-hit state and the rescue of two men kidnapped by who he claimed were “Kuki militants”.

A video has been shared widely on social media where two men from the valley-dominant Meitei community were seen asking the Chief Minister to “save our lives”. The two men, in white T-shirts, also asked Mr Singh to agree to the demand of their kidnappers immediately.

NDTV could not independently verify the video.

“… Addressed the current situation in the state particularly focusing on the rescue of the abduction of two innocent youths by Kuki militants. We condemn such heinous acts and our government is working to secure the safe release of the victims,” Mr Singh said in posts on X and Facebook.

READ | Manipur High Court Cancels ‘Default Bail’ Granted To Man Charged Under UAPA In “Republic Of Kukiland” Case

Three men from the Meitei community had gone to participate at an army recruitment event when they were kidnapped, the parents of one of the three men who the army rescued yesterday told local media.

The security forces could not trace the other two yesterday, Manipur Police sources told NDTV. They declined to give details about the demand raised by the kidnappers, citing operational security.

The kidnappers thrashed the rescued man, identified as Ningombam Johnson Singh, police sources said, adding his cheeks had swelled, his body had multiple bruises and his hand had a wound that needed to be bandaged.

The two missing men have been identified as Oinam Thoithoi Singh and Thokchom Thoithoiba Singh. Their parents have on social media appealed to the kidnappers to release them unharmed.

Social media posts by members of the Meitei community alleged the kidnappers have demanded the release of Mark Thangmang Haokip, 39, who the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had arrested on May 30, 2022 on charges of waging war against India and working against the nation to create an “independent Government of the People’s Democratic Republic of Kukiland”, according to the First Information Report (FIR).

Police sources have not confirmed this alleged demand being widely circulated on social media.

If the demand for Mark Thangmang Haokip to be freed from the NIA, however, turns out to be true, then the kidnappers can be considered to be hardcore militants, and should not be misidentified as ‘village defence volunteers’ of the Kuki tribes in the context of the Manipur ethnic violence, sources said.

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There are many villages of the Kuki tribes in the hills surrounding the Meitei-dominated valley. The clashes between the Meitei community and the nearly two dozen tribes known as Kukis – a term given by the British in colonial times – who are dominant in some hill areas of Manipur, has killed over 220 people and internally displaced nearly 50,000.

The general category Meiteis want to be included under the Scheduled Tribes category, while the Kukis who share ethnic ties with people in neighbouring Myanmar’s Chin State and Mizoram want a separate administration carved out of Manipur, citing discrimination and unequal share of resources and power with the Meiteis.

Imphal/Guwahati/New Delhi:

The Manipur Police have strongly reacted to what they called “immature” comments by the former Assam Rifles chief, who indicated the state force could be partisan amid the ethnic tension between the valley-dominant Meitei community and the Kuki tribes, who are dominant in southern Manipur’s hill districts and some other areas.

Senior officers of the Manipur Police in a press conference on Tuesday said the comments on the police by the former Assam Rifles (AR) chief also showed “a myopic mindset”.

The Manipur Police and the AR have exchanged indirect barbs, and their personnel have had heated exchanges over matters such as road blockades since ethnic clashes began in May 2023, but never in the manner of a formal press conference or a news interview.

Lieutenant General PC Nair (retired), the former Director General of the AR, in a nearly 50-minute interview to News9 on Monday touched on a wide range of issues endemic in the state bordering Myanmar. One of the points he highlighted was the difficulty in operating at a place where he claimed the police, too, were sharply divided on ethnic lines.

While Lt General Nair acknowledged that the AR had a lot of successes during anti-insurgency operations due to the police’s support, he said the police are this time divided on ethnic lines – between Meiteis and Kukis.

“… Let me be very honest in saying that there is no Manipur Police. It is ‘Meitei Police’. It is ‘Kuki Police’. That’s how they went into their respective areas and that is how they have been since then,” Lt General Nair told News9. “If they didn’t go, you don’t know what would have happened to their families. So it was in their own interest. I wouldn’t blame them. The situation was so volatile that they had no option, but to go back to their areas where they belonged,” he said.

The former AR chief added the divide is “more or less complete” in the police, particularly the constabulary, which was “one of the problems.”

“See, in any internal security situation, if you don’t have the local police by your side, it’s very difficult. You try and think of such a situation in Jammu and Kashmir. Surely, the successes the army and the Rashtriya Rifles have been getting are largely due to having the police by their side, which was not the case here [in Manipur],” Lt General Nair said.

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Responding to Lt General Nair, the Inspector General of Police (Operations) IK Muivah said the state force “strongly refutes” several points, particularly the ‘Meitei Police’ reference, made by the former AR chief.

“Manipur Police comprises people from all communities, whether from the mainland, Nagas, Kukis, Meiteis. So there is no such thing as the statement which he made. It is an immature statement, which shows a myopic mindset. We want to refute that,” Mr Muivah told reporters in the state capital Imphal.

“We don’t take such comments lightly. This is why we called this press conference in the first place. We are disappointed with him over his biased, immature comments. They are not true. Saying ‘Meitei Police’, ‘Kuki Police’ is a very harmful, false statement. We completely refute this immature and false statement,” Mr Muivah said.

Inspector General of Police (Administration) K Jayanta Singh said Lt General Nair’s comment is not likely the opinion of the Assam Rifles as a whole. “The immature comment coming from an experienced, retired officer seems to be his opinion. It doesn’t look like the official view of the Assam Rifles,” Mr Singh told reporters.

On the huge controversy over attacks by weaponized drones, Lt General Nair denied any drone dropped bombs in Manipur, though both Kuki and Meitei groups use drones for reconnaissance. He also rubbished the claim that rockets have been fired in Manipur. A senior citizen from the Meitei community was killed in what the police and residents said was a “rocket attack” on the lakeside town Moirang, 45 km from Imphal. A shrapnel had pierced through his head, the police said.

Mr Keishing, citing evidence which the police have collected from the areas where they claimed drone bombings have happened, refuted the former AR chief’s statement that no drone dropped bombs. The Manipur Police officer said they have been collecting evidence, and have picked up drones that were downed, debris and bomb residue.

“We have also collected other evidence for the forensics teams. We will most likely hand over this very important case to the National Investigation Agency so that it can be probed at the highest level,” Mr Keishing said, referring to the country’s top anti-terror investigator NIA.

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Lt General Nair, explaining the situation in neighbouring Myanmar where anti-junta insurgents have been using swarm drones to bomb military camps, pointed out the projectile that hit Moirang can only be a homemade weapon known as ‘pumpi gun’.

“Again, it’s not a rocket or a missile. It is a very crude kind of a weapon, called pumpi. It is just a barrel in which they put some ammunition and it is fired. But do you know most of the times the ammunition gets blasted in the barrel itself… The media plays it up as if it’s something very alarming… they’re not rockets, they’re not designed. Narratives are being built by many people,” Lt General Nair said.

The AR is under the administrative control of the Home Ministry and operational control of the army. It guards the 1,600-km-long Indo-Myanmar border, of which nearly 400 km is in Manipur, where it also functions as the primary counter-insurgency force making its task a dual-role one. There are some Border Security Force (BSF) battalions in Manipur, but they are not specifically tasked with guarding the Indo-Myanmar border.

Since May 2023, when ethnic clashes began in Manipur, the Assam Rifles have been criticised by both the Meitei community and the Kuki tribes for allegedly being biased, Lt General Nair said, adding this clearly shows the force has been neutral.

The army had invited a team of the Editors Guild of India (EGI) to Manipur to analyse the local media’s coverage of the Manipur crisis, which was seen as partisan and biased towards the Meiteis. The editors’ body led by journalist Seema Mustafa had revealed this to the Supreme Court in September last year, after two Manipur residents filed police cases against the EGI for allegedly doing a hit job on the Meitei community, largely using information provided by groups of the Kuki tribes. The Supreme Court later gave relief to the EGI.

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Another controversy erupted when the investigative news website The Reporters Collective (TRC) shared with the public its assessment of what it claimed was a PowerPoint presentation by AR officers in Manipur. The report, published in Al Jazeera on April 15, put a part of the blame for the Manipur crisis on Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s “political authoritarianism and ambition”. The AR later told Al Jazeera the content of the report was not the official viewpoint of the force, and that no such presentation had been made by the AR.

The All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union (AMWJU), a registered body formed in 1974, in a statement today refuted Lt General Nair’s comments that the local media was partisan. “When speaking to national media, we wish the [Lt] General also spoke to locals for their inputs including the media and not rely only on one side,” it said.

The AMWJU also said the former AR chief’s statement that weaponized drones were not used were “not borne by facts”. “… There are many eyewitnesses who saw the release of the bombs by drones, including a journalist of Impact TV who was also injured by shrapnel on his hand and foot in Koutruk,” the AMJU said, referring to the incident on September 8.

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Two battalions of the Assam Rifles have been shifted out of Manipur for deployment in Jammu and Kashmir. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has been moved to the areas where these two battalions had guarded, including the Kuki-dominant Churachandpur. The Kuki tribes have fiercely protested against the move, and highlighted their preference for the AR, amid a huge trust-deficit with the government led by Biren Singh, who belongs to the Meitei community.

There are many villages of the Kuki tribes in the hills surrounding the Meitei-dominated valley. The clashes between the Meitei community and the nearly two dozen tribes known as Kukis – a term given by the British in colonial times – who are dominant in some hill areas of Manipur, has killed over 220 people and internally displaced nearly 50,000.

The general category Meiteis want to be included under the Scheduled Tribes category, while the Kukis who share ethnic ties with people in neighbouring Myanmar’s Chin State and Mizoram want a separate administration carved out of Manipur, citing discrimination and unequal share of resources and power with the Meiteis.