The latest violence occurred in Mullam village in Ukhrul district, where armed confrontations broke out between opposing groups amid longstanding tensions between the predominantly Hindu Meitei community and the mainly Christian Kuki population.“In a heavy exchange of fire, three individuals sustained fatal bullet injuries,” Manipur police said in a statement issued late Friday.

Authorities did not specify which community the victims belonged to, but said security forces had intensified deployments in the area to prevent further escalation.“Security measures have been enhanced in the area,” police said, adding that operations were continuing.Manipur has remained deeply unstable since large-scale ethnic violence erupted in 2023, triggering one of India’s most serious internal security crises in recent years.

More than 250 people have been killed and around 60,000 displaced since clashes first intensified between the Meitei majority and Kuki tribal groups, according to official figures.The conflict centers on disputes over land ownership, political representation, and access to public sector jobs, with both communities accusing each other of discrimination and encroachment.

Rights groups and civil society activists have also accused local political leaders of inflaming ethnic divisions for electoral and strategic advantage, further complicating peace efforts.Although violence had eased in recent months, tensions have remained fragile.

Earlier this month, four people, including two children, were killed in an attack blamed on a Kuki armed group, triggering retaliatory anger among Meitei groups.In the aftermath, a Meitei mob stormed a paramilitary camp, raising fresh concerns over the state’s ability to contain unrest despite heavy federal security deployment.

The violence in Manipur has drawn national attention not only because of its scale but also because of its impact on minority communities, migration patterns, and regional security along India’s sensitive northeastern frontier.

Separately this week, 249 Indians from Manipur and neighboring Mizoram belonging to the Bnei Menashe community arrived in Tel Aviv after Israel approved funding for the immigration of around 6,000 members of the group.

The Bnei Menashe claim descent from one of the “lost tribes” of Israel and have long sought recognition of their Jewish ancestry, adding another layer to the region’s complex identity politics.

Their oral history traces a migration across Persia, Afghanistan, Tibet, and China before settlement in northeast India, where many later converted to Christianity under 19th-century missionary influence.

As fresh violence returns to Manipur, security officials remain on high alert over the possibility of wider reprisals in a state where ethnic mistrust continues to challenge political stability and peacebuilding efforts.

In a heartfelt statement, the National President of the organization, Maulana Asghar Ali Imam Mehdi Salafi, expressed deep condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and conveyed his sympathy to the injured. He emphasized that such acts of violence are not only criminal but a threat to the harmony and security of the country.

Maulana Salafi referenced the harrowing memories of the Pulwama attack, stating, “We cannot forget the tragedy of the most serious terrorist attack in Pulwama, which marked a dark day in the history of our nation.”

He urged the government to take stringent action against the perpetrators, stating that “those responsible must be brought to justice to ensure that no one dares to disrupt the peace and security of this dear country.”

Calling for a responsible and united response, Maulana Salafi appealed to the media and the public to exercise patience and avoid actions that could incite further tensions or undermine communal harmony.

“Maintaining law and order and preserving our collective peace is our moral and civic duty,” he noted.

This statement comes at a time when tensions are high in the region, and calls for justice and peace are echoing from various quarters of civil society. The Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadees Hind’s message aims to reinforce the importance of unity and resilience in the face of terrorism.