Manipur on high alert after militants from Myanmar allegedly infiltrate state

NEW DELHI: Security forces in India’s north-eastern Manipur state have gone on a high alert after reports surfaced that around 900 suspected militants from troubled Myanmar have sneaked in. “The situation is alarming, particularly as these militants could pose a threat to an already volatile state like Manipur,” said a security official.

A Meitei majority that is mostly Hindu and a Kuki community that is largely Christian have been at the center of conflict in Manipur for more than a year, deepening ethnic cleavages. The Kukis, who inhabit the hills, have cultural and kinship links with tribes in Myanmar, which saw armed factions take on the military after it seized power there in 2021.

Kuldiep Singh, security adviser to the Manipur government, said local intelligence agencies had warned of militant attempts to infiltrate. “Nine hundred people are coming,” he said, implying that the threat was grave. In response, border posts are being strengthened and combing operations in the rugged terrain are planned by security forces.

According to local media accounts, the infiltrators could be Kuki militants trained in jungle warfare and armed with weaponized drones. Singh brought out that flying drones without the official permission is absolutely prohibited.

Fresh violence erupted this month after several months of relative calm in Manipur: Citing reports that insurgents have resorted to using rockets and drones, at least 11 people were killed. In this context, Meitei protesters filled the streets of the state capital, Imphal, as they called for action against the Kuki insurgents they blamed for the recent outbreak of violence.

Tensions between the Meitei and Kuki communities date back decades, focusing on competition for land and public employment. Years of conflict have left about 60,000 people displaced and at least 200 dead, according to the government; many more can’t go home. Manipur is now ruled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.