IMPHAL, April 22: More than 58,000 people have been displaced by ethnic violence in Manipur between May 3, 2023 and March 30, 2026, according to official data released by the state government in response to a Right to Information (RTI) query.
Figures provided by the Home Department Secretariat showed that 58,821 individuals were forced to flee their homes during the period of unrest. The information was obtained by RTI applicant Hareshwar Goshwami after a seven-month process.
The department reported 217 deaths linked to the violence, based on ex-gratia payments made to victims’ families, though no separate data on injuries was disclosed.
Relief operations remain ongoing, with 174 camps functioning as of March 10, 2026, sheltering thousands of internally displaced persons. Authorities have also constructed 3,000 pre-fabricated houses through the Manipur Police Housing Corporation Ltd as part of rehabilitation efforts.
The scale of property damage has been significant. A total of 7,894 houses were completely destroyed, while 2,646 others sustained partial damage since the violence began.
The unrest, which erupted in May 2023, involved clashes between the Meitei community in the valley and Kuki groups in the hill districts. The extent of displacement and destruction highlighted in the RTI response underscores the continuing humanitarian and rehabilitation challenges facing the state.
