‘Can only manage violence’: Manipur crisis takes a turn, Delhi stuck in more difficult terrain
'Can only manage violence': Manipur crisis takes a turn, Delhi stuck in more tough terrain The clashes have been noted throughout Ukhrul, Kamjong, Senapati and Kangpokpi, with the geographical proximity of the two communities meaning the conflict is playing out…
'Can only manage violence': Manipur crisis takes a turn, Delhi stuck in more tough terrain The clashes have been noted throughout Ukhrul, Kamjong, Senapati and Kangpokpi, with the geographical proximity of the two communities meaning the conflict is playing out over roads and highways.
Article outline
- What happened
- Background
- The bottom line
Key points
- 6 min read New Delhi Sep 29, 2026 05: 55 AM IST.
- Toll in Kuki-Naga clashes over 50 since new state administration took over in February.
- An officer of the Manipur Police notes, When Meitei-Kuki clashes began, the two communities secured geographically separated within months.
- Like that cycle of violence, the Naga-Kuki tensions too appear to have entered a self-perpetuating loop now, with each side seeking to avenge the killing of its own.
Toll in Kuki-Naga clashes over 50 since new state administration took over in February. (File).
With the latest killings, in Kamjong and Senapati, the death toll in clashes between the Nagas and Kukis since the recast BJP administration took over in Manipur in February has risen to over 50, marking a shift away from the conflict centred around the Meiteis and Kukis since May 2023.
Like that cycle of violence, the Naga-Kuki tensions too appear to have entered a self-perpetuating loop now, with each side seeking to avenge the killing of its own. Containing this conflict poses a more tough challenge geographically.
Notably, an officer of the Manipur Police notes, "When Meitei-Kuki clashes began, the two communities secured geographically separated within months. Kukis withdrew to the hills and Meiteis came to the valley. So a buffer zone was created and security forces were placed there. It is not so in the Naga-Kuki clashes. In the hills, the populations are mixed. It is almost impossible to guard every village."
In short, 'Can only manage violence': Manipur crisis takes a turn, Delhi stuck in is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.
