The hauntingly familiar scent of charred timber again hangs over Manipur&rsquo;s hills. What began as a mundane, alcohol-fueled altercation between a few individuals in Litan village on February 7 has spiralled into a localized ethnic conflagration, exposing the terrifying shallowness of the state&rsquo;s "peace." Despite official claims that the situation is "under control," the suspension of internet services across Ukhrul district tells a grimmer story of a state still standing on a powder keg.
While local leaders from the Tangkhul Naga and Kuki communities initially sought to downplay the incident, the escalation was swift. By February 10, the "minor scuffle" had transformed into a theater of arson, with 27 to 28 housesreportedly torched. Allegations fly thick and fast; the Kuki Students&rsquo; Organisation (KSO) points to deliberate escalation by "anti-social elements" following failed mediation, while Tangkhul groups cite prior provocations.
This latest rupture is not an isolated event but a symptom of a two-year-old ethnic crisis that erupted in May 2023. Originally sparked by disputes over land rights and Scheduled Tribe status between the valley-based Meiteis and hill-based Kuki-Zo communities, the violence has morphed into a complex web of distrust involving Naga groups. The Suspension of Operations (SoO) pact, designed to maintain a ceasefire with hill insurgents, has become a point of bitter contention. Critics argue the pact has been exploited as a "proxy" tool, providing a shield for armed groups rather than a bridge to stability.
The failure of recent peace treaties lies in their inability to address the institutional negligence and the vacuum of accountability. In a land where 17 lives can be lost in a flash and 87 injured in a single surge of violence, "peace" is merely the absence of active gunfire. With the Indian Army and local administration now facing cross-allegations of bias, the bridge between these ethnic groups hasn't just failed&mdash;it has been burnt.
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A drunken brawl in Litan ignites ethnic fires as local distrust hollows out pacts

Manipur Unrest: Ukhrul Tensions Defy Peace

A drunken brawl in Litan ignites ethnic fires as local distrust hollows out pacts

February 11, 2026 | 09:59 IST