Tensions have escalated in Manipur's Kangpokpi district after a gunfight broke out between security forces and unidentified armed men during a search operation.
The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), a Kuki-Zo body, has announced an indefinite blockade of two key national highways, alleging bias in security operations.
No casualties were reported during the gunfire, but the incident has sparked fresh concerns over the deteriorating security situation in the state.
The CoTU has called upon the Government of India to intervene and ensure impartial and professional conduct of all security operations, adequate protection of vulnerable villages and civilian populations, and an independent investigation into recent killings.
The ethnic clashes in Manipur have left at least 260 people dead and displaced 60,000 people since May 2023, with the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities remaining largely segregated in the areas they dominate.
