In a disturbing resurgence of violence, Manipur’s Jiribam district has become the latest flashpoint in the ongoing ethnic conflict plaguing the state. After a period of relative calm in October, tensions reignited on November 7, when the Zairawn village near the Jiribam town was attacked, allegedly by the Arambai Tenggol, a militant faction of the Meitei group, leaving a local school teacher (a Hmar woman) dead and sparking a series of retaliatory attacks that claimed 21 lives in just 11 days.

The violence further intensified on November 11, when Hmar militants, a subgroup within the Kuki-Zomi ethnic community, reportedly launched attacks on the Borobekra area. In a tragic aftermath, Kuki militants kidnapped a 60-year-old woman named Y Rani Devi, along with her two daughters—Heitonbi Devi and Thoibi Devi—and their three young children, the youngest being only eight months old. An image of the family in captivity quickly circulated online, underscoring the escalating crisis. Days later, the bodies of Rani Devi and her two-and-a-half-year-old grandson were found in the Barak River in Assam's Cachar district. The bodies of the remaining captives were later discovered in the Jiri River.

Bodies of all victims were then sent to the Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) for post-mortem examinations.

Jiribam, which had remained largely untouched during earlier clashes in Manipur's Imphal Valley, first became embroiled in violence in June, when the mutilated body of a farmer was discovered in the district. Since May 2023, Manipur’s ethnic conflict has claimed at least 255 lives and displaced over 60,000 people, highlighting the severe toll on the state's civilian population.

Political repercussions 

The latest wave of violence has sparked outrage across Manipur, with protesters targeting the homes of top government officials. Demonstrators set fire to multiple residences, including those of PWD Minister Govindas Konthoujam in Ningthoukhong, BJP MLA Y Radheshyam in Langmeidong Bazar, BJP MLA Paonam Brojen in Thoubal district, and Congress MLA Th Lokeshwar in the Imphal East district. In response, the government implemented a two-day suspension of internet and mobile data services to curb the spread of unrest.

In a significant political development, the National People’s Party (NPP), led by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, withdrew its support for the BJP-led Manipur government under Chief Minister N Biren Singh. The NPP cited the government’s failure to resolve the crisis and restore stability as the primary reasons for the withdrawal.