Fresh Violence Erupts in Manipur Ahead of PM Modi’s First Visit Since Ethnic Clashes
- By Thetripurapost Desk, Churachandpur/Imphal
- Sep 12, 2025
- 669
Barely two days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s high-stakes visit to Manipur, violence once again rocked the strife-torn state. Late Thursday night, miscreants in Pisonamun village of Churachandpur tore down posters and banners welcoming the Prime Minister, dismantled barricades, and set them ablaze.
The incident, just 5 km from the Churachandpur police station, forced police to chase away the mob and resort to lathicharge. Officials said they are still assessing the number of injuries.
Modi’s ₹8,500-Crore Push
PM Modi is scheduled to arrive in Manipur on September 13, in what will be his first visit to the state since ethnic clashes broke out in May 2023.
He will lay the foundation stone for a ₹7,300 crore project at Peace Ground, Churachandpur — a Kuki-dominated area.
He will also inaugurate a ₹1,200 crore project from Imphal, the Meitei heartland.
Together, these projects are being billed as a development package worth ₹8,500 crore for the conflict-hit state.
A Visit Amid Crisis
The visit comes against the backdrop of over 260 deaths and thousands displaced in the ethnic violence that has ravaged the state for more than two years. President’s Rule has been in force since February 13, 2025.
Manipur’s lone Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba described the PM’s visit as “a great fortune for the state,” stressing that Modi would “listen to the people’s difficulties at a time when no Prime Minister has visited under such circumstances.”
Security Blanket
Authorities have tightened security in both Imphal and Churachandpur:
Central forces and state police have been deployed in large numbers.
Kangla Fort, the historic 237-acre site in Imphal where a major ceremony is planned, is under 24-hour surveillance.
Moats around the fort are being patrolled with boats, officials confirmed.
The Larger Conflict
Manipur, with its 38-lakh population, remains deeply divided:
Meitei (50%): Mostly Hindus, dominant in the Imphal valley (10% of land, 40/60 Assembly seats).
Naga-Kuki (34%): Mostly Christians, live across 90% of the land and hold ST status.
The flashpoint remains the Meitei demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, opposed fiercely by Naga and Kuki groups who fear dilution of their rights.
Looking Ahead
PM Modi’s visit is seen not just as a developmental milestone, but also as a litmus test for peace in a state fractured along ethnic lines. Whether his presence can bridge mistrust — or inflame passions further — will be closely watched across the Northeast and beyond.