In brief
Manipur’s ongoing tribal conflict has claimed five lives in two separate incidents, with two Kuki men found dead in Kangpokpi and three Kuki men killed in an exchange of gunfire in Noney. The clashes, involving Kuki and Naga groups, occurred against a backdrop of more than 300 deaths since the violence erupted in May 2023, after the federal government withdrew its special status for the state earlier this year.
Five people were killed in separate ethnic clashes between Kuki and Naga tribes in Manipur’s Kangpokpi and Noney districts on Sunday, officials said. The incidents took place on 2 November 2026 – the date of this report – and came amid ongoing violence that has already surpassed 300 deaths since the outbreak in May 2023.
In Kangpokpi, the dead were two Kuki men whose bodies were found at Taphou Kuki village, where they had disappeared on 28 October. Local authorities said that after the bodies were recovered, an agitated crowd gathered and the police resorted to tear gas shelling and baton charges to disperse the protesters, several of whom were injured in the confrontation.
A Noney district police report said that on Saturday three Kuki men were killed during an exchange of gunfire between two armed groups at Kekru Naga village. The police are conducting a search and combing operation for the persons responsible. A top Kuki tribal body has blamed Naga outfits for the killings.
"Unidentified armed miscreants" were cited in Reuters reporting the Noney incident, underscoring the lack of clear identification of the parties involved. Reuters noted that three Kuki men were killed in a reported exchange of gunfire between the unnamed armed group and the supposed opposing force.
The violence in Manipur has a long history rooted in a dispute over the inclusion of the Meitei community—traditionally classified as non-tribal—in the state’s scheduled tribes list, a status that grants reservations in education and government jobs. According to local government figures, at least 306 people have been killed and 49 others reported missing since the major outbreak of violence on 3 May 2023.
The Indian federal government imposed direct rule on Manipur in February 2025, a measure that was lifted almost a year later in February 2026, after the situation had stabilized enough for the state to resume its own administration. The direct rule period coincided with a spike in violence, although it did not wholly curb the underlying tensions.
While the killings in Kangpokpi and Noney reaffirm the intensity of the tribal clashes, authorities have not clarified the motive behind the exchange of fire, nor identified the groups’ leadership or whether the incidents were part of a broader campaign of violence. The references to “unidentified armed miscreants” leave open questions about who is orchestrating these attacks and whether external actors may be involved. Even the distribution of resources and security measures in the districts remains unclear as police and local bodies work to prevent further escalation.
Unresolved questions, as highlighted by the sources, include the precise identity of the armed groups, the chain of command behind the attacks, and the root causes that might trigger additional violence. The broader question of how the Meitei inclusion debate will resolve remains open, as does the potential for continued violence as the state navigates its path toward lasting peace.
