Rising Tensions in Manipur: Tangkhul Student Bodies Issue Ultimatum Over Assault Incident
imphal, Manipur | June 28, 2025
In a troubling escalation of ethnic tensions in conflict-hit Manipur, two prominent Tangkhul Naga student organizations—the Katho Katamnao Long (KKL) and the Tangkhul Naga Valley Students’ Association (TNVSA)—have issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Kuki community. This move comes in response to a violent assault on a taxi traveling towards Ukhrul, which left a passenger seriously injured in Mongkot Chepu village.
According to statements issued by the student bodies on Friday, the incident involved unidentified Kuki individuals who allegedly stopped the taxi along the NH-202 highway—a vital artery connecting Imphal with Ukhrul—and physically assaulted its driver and passenger. The victim, whose identity remains undisclosed for security reasons, reportedly sustained injuries requiring urgent medical attention.
In their joint ultimatum, KKL and TNVSA demanded that the Kuki community publicly identify and surrender those involved in the assault within 24 hours. They warned of drastic consequences if their demand is not fulfilled, including a total blockade of Kuki individuals along the NH-202 and a ban on their entry into Ukhrul district. “We will not allow the safety of our people and commuters to be compromised,” read the statement. “The Kuki community must prove their commitment to peaceful coexistence by cooperating in bringing the culprits to justice.”
Sources familiar with the situation indicate that the assault has reignited simmering hostilities between the Tangkhul Nagas and Kukis—two ethnic groups that have been caught in the wider ethnic conflict engulfing Manipur since May 2023. While violent incidents had declined under central security measures, this latest confrontation has raised fears of renewed clashes.
The ultimatum has also placed enormous pressure on district authorities and security forces, who are already stretched thin due to ongoing efforts to maintain fragile peace across the state. Local police officials, speaking anonymously, confirmed they have increased patrols on key routes and are attempting to mediate between community leaders to prevent retaliatory violence.
Meanwhile, leaders of the Kuki community have so far refrained from public comment, but sources say they are holding emergency meetings to assess the situation. Analysts warn that if the ultimatum expires without resolution, it could spark road blockades and inter-community violence reminiscent of the worst days of last year’s ethnic unrest.
The state government, which remains under President’s Rule since February 2025, has yet to release an official statement on the ultimatum. However, security agencies have been alerted, and the Ministry of Home Affairs is reportedly monitoring developments closely. A senior official in the Union Home Ministry, speaking to the press on condition of anonymity, emphasized the Centre’s commitment to restoring peace: “Any action that threatens civilian safety and peace in Manipur will not be tolerated.”
Human rights groups have called for calm, urging all stakeholders—including student organizations and community leaders—to engage in dialogue instead of inflammatory ultimatums that risk spiraling into violence. Observers point out that unless urgent steps are taken to address underlying grievances and ensure accountability, Manipur’s fragile peace could once again unravel.
As the deadline for the ultimatum looms, the eyes of both the state and central governments—and millions of concerned citizens—remain fixed on Ukhrul, where the outcome of this standoff may set the tone for either reconciliation or renewed conflict in the troubled state.
In a troubling escalation of ethnic tensions in conflict-hit Manipur, two prominent Tangkhul Naga student organizations—the Katho Katamnao Long (KKL) and the Tangkhul Naga Valley Students’ Association (TNVSA)—have issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Kuki community. This move comes in response to a violent assault on a taxi traveling towards Ukhrul, which left a passenger seriously injured in Mongkot Chepu village.
According to statements issued by the student bodies on Friday, the incident involved unidentified Kuki individuals who allegedly stopped the taxi along the NH-202 highway—a vital artery connecting Imphal with Ukhrul—and physically assaulted its driver and passenger. The victim, whose identity remains undisclosed for security reasons, reportedly sustained injuries requiring urgent medical attention.
In their joint ultimatum, KKL and TNVSA demanded that the Kuki community publicly identify and surrender those involved in the assault within 24 hours. They warned of drastic consequences if their demand is not fulfilled, including a total blockade of Kuki individuals along the NH-202 and a ban on their entry into Ukhrul district. “We will not allow the safety of our people and commuters to be compromised,” read the statement. “The Kuki community must prove their commitment to peaceful coexistence by cooperating in bringing the culprits to justice.”
Sources familiar with the situation indicate that the assault has reignited simmering hostilities between the Tangkhul Nagas and Kukis—two ethnic groups that have been caught in the wider ethnic conflict engulfing Manipur since May 2023. While violent incidents had declined under central security measures, this latest confrontation has raised fears of renewed clashes.
The ultimatum has also placed enormous pressure on district authorities and security forces, who are already stretched thin due to ongoing efforts to maintain fragile peace across the state. Local police officials, speaking anonymously, confirmed they have increased patrols on key routes and are attempting to mediate between community leaders to prevent retaliatory violence.
Meanwhile, leaders of the Kuki community have so far refrained from public comment, but sources say they are holding emergency meetings to assess the situation. Analysts warn that if the ultimatum expires without resolution, it could spark road blockades and inter-community violence reminiscent of the worst days of last year’s ethnic unrest.
The state government, which remains under President’s Rule since February 2025, has yet to release an official statement on the ultimatum. However, security agencies have been alerted, and the Ministry of Home Affairs is reportedly monitoring developments closely. A senior official in the Union Home Ministry, speaking to the press on condition of anonymity, emphasized the Centre’s commitment to restoring peace: “Any action that threatens civilian safety and peace in Manipur will not be tolerated.”
Human rights groups have called for calm, urging all stakeholders—including student organizations and community leaders—to engage in dialogue instead of inflammatory ultimatums that risk spiraling into violence. Observers point out that unless urgent steps are taken to address underlying grievances and ensure accountability, Manipur’s fragile peace could once again unravel.
As the deadline for the ultimatum looms, the eyes of both the state and central governments—and millions of concerned citizens—remain fixed on Ukhrul, where the outcome of this standoff may set the tone for either reconciliation or renewed conflict in the troubled state.
