Precautionary relocation follows arson, inter-community violence and rising unrest between Tangkhul Nagas and Kukis
Imphal: At least 51 Kuki students were evacuated from a residential school in Manipur’s Naga-majority Ukhrul district as a precautionary measure following fresh tensions and clashes between the Tangkhul Naga and Kuki communities, officials said on Monday.
According to the police, the students of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Ramva School were shifted amid growing law-and-order concerns after violence flared in parts of the district. Around 30 houses were reportedly set ablaze during clashes in the Litan Sareikhong area over the past week, prompting authorities to act swiftly to ensure the safety of children.
“The Ukhrul District Police have evacuated 51 students and handed them over to the Saikul police station team for onward movement to the JNV in Kangpokpi district,” an official statement said. The group included 31 male and 20 female students, who were transported to Kangpokpi, a Kuki-majority area, for their safety.
Police said the evacuation was purely precautionary due to the prevailing situation. During the process, some locals briefly mistook the students for miscreants, but tensions were quickly defused with the intervention of civil society organisations. Community leaders from Shangshak, Ramva, Shokvao, TM Kasom and S Laho assisted authorities to ensure safe passage.
Officials appealed to all communities to maintain calm and avoid spreading rumours that could worsen the situation.
The recent violence reportedly began after a drunken altercation between two groups on February 7 in Litan, a commercial hub inhabited by both communities. The incident soon escalated into wider clashes.
Manipur has already been grappling with prolonged ethnic unrest. For nearly three years, the state has witnessed recurring violence, particularly between the Meitei and Kuki communities, which began in May 2023 after protests over the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status. More than 260 people have died and thousands have been displaced since then.
With tensions resurfacing in Ukhrul, authorities say they remain on high alert to prevent further escalation and to safeguard vulnerable residents, especially students.
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