Hundreds of members of the Kuki-Zo community staged a protest rally in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on Tuesday demanding the immediate and unconditional release of three community leaders detained in connection with the July 11 violence near Leimakhong.
The rally was organised by the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) and highlighted the ethnic tensions that continue in Manipur more than three years after the outbreak of widespread violence in 2023.
The protest began at Nute Kailhang and ended at Brig. M. Thomas Ground along National Highway-2. Protesters carried placards and raised slogans against what they described as the “undue harassment” of Kuki-Zo civil society leaders. They also submitted a memorandum to Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen, urging immediate government intervention.
According to CoTU, the arrests are linked to the July 11 incident at Kanto Sabal near Leimakhong in Imphal West district, close to the Kangpokpi border. Reports said six abandoned houses belonging to Meitei families were destroyed in a fire during clashes involving a large mob, reportedly around 600 strong, associated with Kuki-Zo groups. Two schools were also allegedly looted and occupied. Security forces reportedly stopped the mob from moving further towards Kanto Sabal, preventing a larger confrontation, although some arson attempts were successful.
Kuki-Zo organisations, including CoTU, have strongly disputed this version of events. They blamed prolonged government inaction over blockades affecting essential supplies to their areas, saying growing frustration led to the confrontation. CoTU rejected allegations of unprovoked aggression and instead pointed to alleged provocations and failures by the authorities to control the situation. Some members of the community also linked the incident to wider disputes, including remarks by central leaders and demands raised by other tribal groups.
Two Kuki leaders, including a village chief, have already been arrested in connection with the alleged arson and mob violence. Reports suggest that a third person may also have been detained. Police have registered cases, and investigations are continuing.
The protest comes against the backdrop of Manipur’s prolonged ethnic conflict between the valley-based Meitei community and the hill-based Kuki-Zo groups, including Kuki, Zo and related tribes. The violence that began in May 2023 has claimed hundreds of lives, displaced tens of thousands of people, and damaged many villages and properties. Despite periodic ceasefires and interventions by the Centre, tensions have continued with repeated incidents reported through 2026.
The situation has become more complex with the involvement of Naga communities, who live in parts of the hill districts and have their own concerns. On April 18, 2026, TM Kasom village in Ukhrul district, home to the Tangkhul Naga community, witnessed an ambush on National Highway-202. Two civilians, including a retired Indian Army personnel from the Naga Regiment, were killed after suspected militants opened fire on vehicles travelling from Imphal to Ukhrul. Several others were injured, increasing tensions between Kuki and Naga groups.
As of July 14, security forces remained deployed around TM Kasom. Residents appealed for peace and expressed hope that no further violence would occur. The Foothills Naga Coordination Committee (FNCC) and other Naga organisations condemned the July 11 Leimakhong incident, describing it as an attack on Naga and Meitei properties. They also called for independent investigations into both the April ambush and the recent arson.
Manipur continues to remain divided by buffer zones, curfews and deep mistrust between communities. Repeated blockades on national highways have disrupted the supply of essential goods, adding to economic hardship and public resentment. Security forces remain heavily deployed across the state, while allegations of bias continue to be raised by different communities. The government led by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has faced criticism from Kuki-Zo organisations over alleged favouritism towards the Meitei community, while Meitei groups have accused the authorities of being too lenient towards hill-based militants.
In its memorandum to the Deputy Chief Minister, CoTU demanded not only the release of the detained leaders but also action on supply blockades and what it described as selective security operations. “Our leaders are being targeted to suppress the voice of the Kuki-Zo people,” a protester was quoted as saying in local reports. Meitei and Naga organisations, however, have demanded accountability for the alleged arson and earlier attacks.
