Several houses torched in abandoned Manipur village amid ethnic tensions

A deserted view of the Khwairamband Ema Keithel, one of the busiest women’s markets during a 48-hour general strike called by the Native People’s Committee Manipur (NPCM) to protest the killing of three civilians and the injury of several others in a shooting near the Khongbal Sunurok hill range, in Imphal on October 20, 2026. | Photo Credit: ANI Several houses were set on fire in an abandoned village in Manipur’s Kamjong district on Wednesday (October 21, 2026) morning, triggering fresh tensions.Khoikai Kuki village, located near Chassad village, was set ablaze by suspected militants around 5.30 a.m., police said.The village had been deserted after residents fled amid escalating clashes between the Kuki and Naga communities, they said.The extent of the damage and the identity of those involved were yet to be ascertained, they added.More than 50 people have been killed and dozens of houses burnt in ethnic clashes between the two tribal communities in the state since early this year. Tamenglong, Noney, Kangpokpi, Ukhrul and Kamjong are among the districts affected by the violence. Published - October 21, 2026 03:48 pm IST