Curfew was clamped in parts of Manipur’s Churachandpur district on Wednesday following heightened tension between the Zomi and Hmar communities over the hoisting of community flags in a disputed area, a district notification confirmed.
The unrest unfolded after flags were raised in a disputed stretch of land lying between V Munhoih and Rengkai villages, both located in the Churachandpur sub-division. The area is inhabited by the Zomi and Hmar tribes, who have a long-standing history of cultural coexistence but occasional land-related friction.
In response to the volatile situation, Churachandpur District Magistrate Dharun Kumar issued orders imposing curfew in the two villages as well as in the entire Kangvai, Samulamlan, and Sangaikot sub-divisions. However, curfew restrictions have been relaxed in the remaining parts of the district from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. until 17 April to ensure the public has access to essential items and services.
“Subsequent relaxation shall be reviewed and notified based on an assessment of the prevailing law and order,” the official notification added.
To prevent the escalation of tensions, local authorities facilitated a peace dialogue between the village heads of V Munhoih and Rengkai in the presence of the Churachandpur deputy commissioner and superintendent of police.
Officials said both parties reached an agreement that the matter was not of communal nature but a land settlement dispute. “It shall be resolved by the two village authorities,” they said.
The meeting also urged the public to refrain from spreading rumours on social media platforms and maintain peace in the region.
The latest development comes weeks after an earlier flare-up in Churachandpur town on 18 March, where one person was killed and several others injured during clashes triggered by an incident in which a person removed a Zomi flag from a mobile tower and flung it to the ground.
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