India's Manipur Still Burning: 41 Naga Houses, Churches Torched in Fresh Violence

Representational image: Kuki community members stage a protest over the alleged detention of six villagers by security forces, in Kangpoki on September 20, 2026. Photo: PTI.

NEW DELHI, Sept 25 : At least 41 houses belonging to Naga residents and churches were burnt during nearly 12 hours of violence in Makui area of Manipur’s Kangpokpi district, according to local reports.

Seventeen houses were reportedly destroyed in Makui Chamriupui, eight in Makui Thanamba and 16 in Makui Thebram. Houses were also reported burnt in the Naga villages of Langka, Thanamba, Kapningching and Tajeikaiphun.

The unrest began at around 2:30 p.m. on September 23 and continued until approximately 2:30 a.m. on September 24.

Villagers alleged that Kuki militants operating under the government’s Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement were behind the attacks. They also criticised personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) for failing to intervene during the prolonged violence. Security personnel were reportedly deployed within a 10-km radius of the affected area.

Residents said they remained in their villages despite the tension for several hours but were forced to flee after their homes caught fire. Many reportedly moved towards Makui village.

Local media reports said clashes broke out between Kuki and Naga armed groups in the area on Thursday afternoon.

Security personnel said large-scale civilian casualties were largely avoided because many villagers had fled after receiving warnings and taken shelter in nearby forests and makeshift camps, including a shelter at Makui Khunjao.

However, displaced families, particularly women, children and elderly residents, were reportedly facing shortages of food, shelter and other basic necessities.

The Makui Village Authority condemned the violence, describing it as a “direct attempt to wipe out Liangmai Nagas from the IT Road area” and seize ancestral land. The authority also linked the latest violence to an earlier attack on August 27, when four Makui villagers were reportedly killed in an ambush between Makui Ashang and Thanamba.

The allegations regarding the attackers and the circumstances surrounding the violence could not be independently verified.