Three Injured as Kuki Protest Clashes With Security Forces on Manipur Highway

At least three people were injured on Monday (June 22, 2026) in a clash between Kuki-Zo protesters and security personnel during a highway blockade in Manipur's Kangpokpi district. The protest, called by Kuki civil society organisations, was aimed at opposing what they described as "selective security operations" against their villages.

The blockade targeted National Highway 37, a key route connecting Imphal with Jiribam on the Assam border. Protesters gathered in the New Keithelmanbi stretch early Monday to restrict vehicular movement. The situation escalated when security forces used crowd-control measures, including smoke bombs and baton charges, leading to injuries among the protesters.

The local unit of the Kuki Inpi, an apex community organisation, condemned the dispersal, stating that peaceful protesters were met with "tear gas shells, blank ammunition, and batons." They also blamed the ongoing ethnic tensions on two Naga armed groups: the National Socialist Council of Nagalim and the Kamson faction of the Zeliangrong United Front.

Later on Monday, the Committee on Tribal Unity, representing Kuki-Zo communities, announced the lifting of its blockades on NH 2 (Kohima-Imphal connector) and NH 37. The move followed assurances from the Kangpokpi Superintendent of Police that essential commodities would be safely transported to Kuki-Zo villages. The organisation said the blockade was withdrawn "in the interest of public safety and peace."

In a separate development, a group of women activists in Imphal submitted a memorandum to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla demanding the "immediate and unconditional release" of four members of the Arambai Tenggol, a Meitei socio-cultural organisation. The four were among ten people arrested on June 19 by the National Investigation Agency in connection with six cases of ethnic violence. Thokchom Chandrasakhi Devi, one of the activists, told journalists that the Arambai Tenggol is "not an armed group but a socio-cultural organisation formed to preserve and protect the identity of the Meitei community."

The clashes and blockades underscore the deep ethnic divisions in Manipur, where tensions between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities have led to recurring violence. The NIA arrests and the selective operations remain contentious issues. Authorities have not yet commented on the allegations of targeting specific groups.