Six individuals from the Naga community, missing since a violent intercommunal clash on May 13, are feared dead after six bodies were recovered Wednesday in Manipur's Kangpokpi district. The discovery has deepened the humanitarian crisis gripping the state, where ethnic violence between Naga and Kuki communities has claimed 731 lives over three years.

Hostages Gone for Nearly a Month

The six Naga men were taken hostage during a violent confrontation between Naga and Kuki groups at Leilon Vaiphei village in Kangpokpi district on May 13. Their fate had remained unknown for 27 days before the bodies were found on Wednesday during a major security operation in the area. Formal identification is still pending, and post-mortem examinations are underway at JNIMS Hospital in Kangpokpi. Police have confirmed that legal procedures are being completed and the investigation is ongoing.

As news of the recovery broke, relatives of the missing persons and representatives from several Naga civil organisations gathered at the hospital, with grief and anger running high.

Massive Search Operation Underway

Since the abduction, security forces mounted a significant search operation involving around 450 personnel from the Manipur Police, CRPF, and Assam Rifles, supported by sniffer dogs and forensic experts. The bodies were found in the course of this extended operation.

The scale of the deployment reflects the volatility on the ground — yet for many in the Naga community, it has done little to inspire confidence. Several Naga organisations have publicly accused security forces of bias and demanded an impartial investigation into the ongoing violence.

Violence Refuses to Abate

The recovery came amid fresh incidents across the state. On Monday, Kuki militant groups allegedly opened fire in Pongringlong Rongmei Naga village in Kangpokpi district. Shortly after, the body of a missing Naga Village Guard, Chunjanglung Panmei, was found in a nearby forest with a gunshot wound to the head.

In Senapati district on Wednesday, two trucks were set ablaze by unidentified miscreants. No arrests have been reported in connection with the arson.

On a more positive note, 14 Kuki individuals were handed over to authorities Tuesday with assistance from the United Naga Council — a rare instance of inter-community coordination that officials hope could build some ground-level trust.

Communities Push Back Against Security Forces

Tensions with security agencies have been mounting. On June 7, women in the Shokvao and New Haven areas of Ukhrul district blocked Assam Rifles personnel from advancing, staging protests with torches through the night.

In a more formal assertion of local authority, the Village Authority of Longjang/Thangal village in Noney district issued a notice to the State Police, Assam Rifles, and CRPF, directing that security personnel must inform village authorities before carrying out any search, patrol, raid, or arrest. The notice also called for restrictions on drone operations. The village authority cited its powers under the Manipur Hill Areas Village Authority Act, 1956, which grants it responsibility for local law and order.

Naga groups have further alleged that unidentified armed men opened fire in Ching Mamang village, injuring one person. They have accused the central government of using Kuki groups as part of what they describe as a "shadow war."

Thousands Still Displaced

Meanwhile, thousands of women from 14 civil organisations marched in a five-kilometre rally in Imphal on Monday, demanding implementation of the National Register of Citizens and the identification and deportation of illegal infiltrators.

RTI data paints a grim picture of the displacement crisis. Of 43,676 people still living in relief camps across nine districts, 731 have died over the past three years. Churachandpur recorded the highest toll at 248 deaths, followed by Bishnupur with 151 and Kangpokpi with 128 — the same district now at the centre of Wednesday's grim discovery.

With identifications still pending and grieving families waiting outside the hospital, Kangpokpi remains on edge.

Village authorities invoke 1956 Act to mandate prior notice for police, army patrols and drone surveillance

Tensions in Manipur took a new turn on Monday as village authorities in Noney district issued a formal notice restricting how security forces can operate in their areas. The Village Authority of Longjang/Thangal village has told the Manipur Police, Assam Rifles and CRPF that personnel cannot enter villages or deploy drones without advance intimation.

The notice, citing the Manipur Hill Areas Village Authority Act of 1956, asserts that village bodies hold responsibility for local security and law and order. Officials said any search operation, patrol, raid or arrest now requires prior communication to village authorities.

Women Block Assam Rifles Again

Just a day earlier, women in Shokwao and New Haven areas of Ukhrul district stopped Assam Rifles personnel from moving forward. Residents continued protesting late into Sunday evening, carrying torches. It remains unclear whether Monday's notice is directly linked to that blockade.

Deadly Week in Kangpokpi

The restrictions come amid a fresh wave of violence. On Monday, a Kuki militant group opened fire in Pongringlong Rongmei Naga village in Kangpokpi district. Shortly after, the body of Chunjanglung Panmei, a Naga village guard reported missing, was recovered from a forest area. He had been shot in the head.

In a separate incident, unidentified armed men fired shots in Ching Mamang village, leaving one person injured. Naga organisations have publicly accused security forces of bias and are demanding an impartial investigation. Some groups have alleged that the Centre is using Kuki outfits to wage what they call a "shadow war" in the state.

Women's Rally Demands NRC

Over in Imphal, thousands of women took to the streets on Monday in a 5-km mega rally. Organised by 14 civil society groups, the protest demanded implementation of the National Register of Citizens and the identification and deportation of illegal immigrants. The turnout suggested growing public frustration over what many see as unchecked inflows across porous borders.

Three Years, 731 Deaths in Relief Camps

Ethnic violence has now persisted in Manipur for nearly three years, with complete peace still elusive. Information obtained through an RTI request has revealed that 731 displaced persons have died while living in relief camps over this period.

Churachandpur district recorded the highest number of deaths at 248, followed by Bishnupur with 151 and Kangpokpi with 128. Official data shows that 43,676 people remain displaced across nine districts of the state, many of them still unwilling or unable to return to their original villages.

With village authorities now asserting greater control over security operations and fresh violence continuing to erupt, the coming days will test whether security forces can adapt to these local restrictions while maintaining order across the hills and valleys of Manipur.