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Fresh violence erupts in Manipur’s Ukhrul district, internet suspended for 5 days

February 10, 2026 4 min read Internal Security Social Issues GS3 (Internal Security Insurgency)
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What Happened

  • Fresh violence erupted in Manipur's Ukhrul district on February 10, 2026, following an alleged assault on a member of the Tangkhul Naga community.
  • Armed groups set fire to several abandoned houses in the Litan Sareikhong area; shots were also fired during the clashes.
  • At least 21–50 homes were gutted, and hundreds of Kuki and Tangkhul Naga villagers — mainly women, children, and elderly — fled to safer locations in Kangpokpi and Ukhrul districts.
  • The state government imposed a curfew and suspended internet services (including broadband, VPN, and VSAT) across Ukhrul district for five days.
  • The violence followed a day after two Tangkhul Naga organisations imposed movement restrictions on Kukis in Ukhrul and neighbouring Kamjong district.

Static Topic Bridges

Ethnic Conflict in Manipur: Meitei, Kuki-Zo, and Naga Communities

Manipur's internal security landscape is shaped by deep-seated ethnic fault lines among three principal communities: the Meitei (valley-based, predominantly Hindu), Kuki-Zo (hill tribes, largely Christian), and Naga groups including the Tangkhul Naga. While the 2023 Meitei–Kuki violence drew national attention, Ukhrul's violence represents a distinct Naga–Kuki dimension of the conflict. The Tangkhul Nagas are among the largest Naga groups in Manipur and dominate Ukhrul district, which is also claimed as part of the broader Naga homeland. Competing territorial claims, Inner Line Permit politics, and historical land grievances fuel periodic outbreaks.

  • Ukhrul: Hill district in northeast Manipur; predominantly Tangkhul Naga
  • Kuki-Zo groups: Umbrella term for several hill tribes; demand separate territorial administration (Kuki homeland)
  • Inner Line Permit (ILP): Introduced in Manipur in 2020; restricts outsiders entering hill areas
  • Naga peace talks: Framework Agreement signed between GoI and NSCN(IM) in 2015; final settlement pending

Connection to this news: The Litan Sareikhong violence reflects the Naga–Kuki axis of Manipur's conflict — distinct from, but overlapping with, the better-known 2023 Meitei–Kuki clashes — underscoring the multi-layered nature of the state's internal security crisis.

India leads the world in internet shutdowns. The state can suspend internet services under three legal provisions: Section 144 CrPC (imminent danger to public order), Rule 2(1) of the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules 2017 under the Telegraph Act 1885, and Section 69A of the Information Technology Act 2008 (blocking of online content). In Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India (2020), the Supreme Court ruled that internet shutdowns must be proportionate, necessary, time-bound, and subject to judicial review.

  • Primary legal basis for shutdowns: Telecom Suspension Rules 2017 under Telegraph Act 1885
  • Section 144 CrPC: Used for emergency prohibitory orders, including internet bans in some states
  • Section 69A IT Act: Covers content blocking (not blanket shutdowns)
  • Supreme Court in Anuradha Bhasin (2020): Shutdown orders must be published, time-bound, and proportionate
  • India accounts for the highest number of internet shutdowns globally (per Access Now data)

Connection to this news: The Manipur government invoked fear of social media amplification of violence as justification for the five-day Ukhrul internet blackout — a pattern that courts have scrutinised for compliance with the proportionality standard set in Anuradha Bhasin.

AFSPA and the Disturbed Areas Framework in the Northeast

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) empowers armed forces to search, arrest, and use lethal force in areas declared "Disturbed" by the Central or State Government. Manipur has been under AFSPA (partially) since 1980. In 2022, the government reduced the AFSPA footprint in several northeastern states following improved security, but reimposed it in six police station limits in Manipur in November 2024 amid renewed violence. AFSPA exempts security forces from civilian prosecution without central government sanction — a provision that human rights organisations have long contested.

  • AFSPA enacted: 1958; applicable to Manipur (excluding Imphal Municipal Council area)
  • "Disturbed Area" notification: Can be issued by Centre or state government
  • AFSPA reimposed in 6 police station limits in Manipur: November 2024
  • Key controversy: Immunity clause (Section 6) shields forces from prosecution
  • Jeevan Reddy Committee (2005) recommended repeal; government has not acted on it

Connection to this news: The Ukhrul violence renews questions about whether the security architecture in hill Manipur — including AFSPA coverage and counter-insurgency deployments — is adequately calibrated to address ethnic rather than purely insurgent violence.

Key Facts & Data

  • Violence location: Litan Sareikhong area, Ukhrul district, Manipur — February 10, 2026
  • Communities involved: Tangkhul Naga and Kuki-Zo groups
  • Homes gutted: 21–50 (estimates vary across sources)
  • Displaced: Hundreds of villagers to Kangpokpi and Ukhrul districts
  • Internet suspension: 5 days; covered broadband, VPN, VSAT across Ukhrul district
  • Curfew imposed: Ukhrul district
  • Trigger: Alleged assault on a Tangkhul Naga community member + movement restrictions imposed by Naga organisations on Kukis
  • AFSPA reimposed in Manipur (6 police stations): November 2024
  • Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India (2020): Supreme Court ruling on internet shutdowns