Remnants of a burnt house and ashes of a car now form part of the barricade between Hill and Valley in Manipur, marked by a rusty barrier and a 'STOP FOR CHECKING' sign, surrounded by sandbags. Image by Yaqut Ali. India.
May 3, 2025, marks two years since the ethnic conflict broke out in Manipur.
IMPHAL, India—Since May 2023, Manipur has been engulfed in a brutal ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, claiming over 260 lives, displacing more than 60,000 people, and reducing thousands of homes to ashes. This photo story is an attempt to capture the harrowing realities of those living through this conflict. The scars of destruction are visible at every corner, deepening the divide between communities. Public outrage over the state government’s inaction has only intensified the unrest.
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In an unprecedented wave of violence in 2023, over 250 churches were reportedly burned down by militant groups in Manipur. A few still stand, scarred but unbroken. Image by Yaqut Ali. India. A Kuki house in the New Lambulane area of Imphal was burnt to ashes by militia group Arambai Tenggol in May 2023. Image by Yaqut Ali. India. Echoes of absence: New Lambulane, once a vibrant hub dominated by the Kuki community in Imphal, now stands quiet under the watch of Central and state forces, with rickshaws waiting on the empty Tribal Market street. Image by Yaqut Ali. India. In Imphal West district’s Zomi Villa, Kuki properties now bear the mark of Arambai Tenggol, a militia group that has taken over and earns money by using these spaces. ‘A.T. H55’ has been spray-painted on shuttered store fronts, signalling the takeover. Image by Yaqut Ali. India. The charred remains of the BJP office in Thoubal district, Manipur — burnt down in public anger over the state’s handling of ethnic violence, now standing in silence amidst empty fields at dusk. Image by Yaqut Ali. India. Manipuri Muslim Council, Moreh: Manipuri Muslims, also known as Meitei Pangal, are the only group able to travel between the hill and valley areas in violence-hit Manipur amidst the conflict between the Kuki and Meitei communities. Image by Yaqut Ali. India. The only airport in Manipur, situated in the capital city of Imphal, became inaccessible for the Kuki community living in the state after the ongoing violence, as the city is Meitei-dominated. Due to this conflict, workers from the Kuki community also had to transfer from the airport in Imphal. Image by Yaqut Ali. India. Ango-Kuki War Gate: It is being said that violence began when a mob started burning this gate. The matter is under investigation. Image by Yaqut Ali. India. Meitei men guarding the Valley as they have lost faith in State and Central Forces. Image by Yaqut Ali. India. The same story is visible in Kuki-dominated Churachandpur district. Image by Yaqut Ali. India. Many vehicles belonging to one community were burnt down by another community in Manipur, a grim testament to the escalating conflict between the two groups. Image by Yaqut Ali. India. Children in relief camps are painting what they are experiencing in Manipur – violence. Image by Yaqut Ali. India. A charred bicycle lies amid the rubble in Manipur — a haunting remnant of the violence that has torn through lives and landscapes alike. Image by Yaqut Ali. India. A Wall of Remembrance: Set outside the district collector’s office in Churachandpur district, this memorial honours those who lost their lives in the violence, with pictures of the deceased telling their stories. Image by Yaqut Ali. India. A similar set up at burial site in Kangpokpi district. Image by Yaqut Ali. India. People in Manipur have been demanding chief minister N. Biren Singh’s resignation, which finally came on February 9. Many believe he is responsible for the continuing violence in the state. Image by Yaqut Ali. India. Many guns and ammunition were looted in Manipur’s capital city, Imphal, during the ethnic violence that began in May 2023, and despite multiple orders by the governor to return the looted arms, a significant number remain missing as of May 2025. Image by Yaqut Ali. India. Beyond the killings, over 30 people remain missing in Manipur. The government has failed to trace them, and their families now fear the worst. Ranjita Thongam is holding her husband’s picture; he has been missing since 2023. Image by Yaqut Ali. India. Kuki children are now studying in temporary schools setted by locals, as the government failed to provide education. They are unable to return to their villages due to safety concerns; their villages were burnt to ashes in the violence. Image by Yaqut Ali. India. Kajal, who met Rahul Gandhi and the Supreme Court judges during their visit to Manipur, has lost hope in the government. All she wants now is for her little brother to continue his education. Image by Yaqut Ali. India.
