Manipur’s Endless Crisis: From Blown Bridges to Supreme Court
7,800 homes destroyed since May 2023, India’s apex court pushes for fast-tracked justice amid severe witness displacement
Synopsis
Manipur has been facing violence and disruption of infrastructure for the last Three Years. It was on May 3, 2023, that clashes broke out in Manipur for the first time during a tribal solidarity march in areas bordering Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts. Recently, unidentified militants blew up a Bailey bridge in Manipur’s Kamjong district.
AdvertisementKamjong Bridge Blast Cuts off 10 villages in Manipur
A 130-foot Bailey bridge in Manipur’s Kamjong district, serving as an alternate lifeline connecting Ukhrul–Imphal via Chatric village, was crucial for more than 10 villages along the Indo Myanmar border. The Bridge was destroyed late Tuesday night by a powerful bomb suspected to be an Improvised explosive device (IED), stated in police and local reports.
The vital Bridge over the Namban Lok River between Phange and Chatric villages under Sahamphung Block was reduced to debris around 10.30 p.m. A Bolero pick up vehicle belonging to the telecom department, parked nearby, was also found torched. Farmers in the vicinity reported hearing a loud explosion and later discovered the destruction.
AdvertisementThe Bridge was originally built in 2016 under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
How Manipur Reached This Point?
The ongoing Manipur ethnic conflict is between the Meitei and the Kuki-Zo tribal communities. The Meitei form the majority and live primarily in the Imphal Valley, while the Kuki-Zo tribal communities, who primarily inhabit the surrounding hill districts.
Kuki-Zo organisations, under the All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM), organised a protest march against Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for Meiteis.
On May 3, 2023, clashes near the border of Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts spread into armed violence, mob attacks, and widespread destruction of homes, villages, and places of worship.
AdvertisementOver 58,000 to 60,000 individuals fled their homes, with tens of thousands living across roughly 174 makeshift relief camps or alongside host families.
Official reports cite over 210 to 258 deaths linked to the clashes, alongside hundreds more wounded. Property Destruction: Around 7,894 homes were destroyed, and 2,646 others suffered partial damage.
Supreme Court Orders Faster Probe into Manipur Violence Cases
The Supreme Court on Friday, July 24, 2026, proposed special court trials in cases of the 2023 Manipur violence and directed the investigating agencies to expedite the pending probes to ensure that there is no further “inordinate delay”.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana was hearing a batch of petitions relating to the ethnic violence in the State.
A status report filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Special Investigation Team (SIT), the Bench noted that the prevailing law and order situation had made the examination of witnesses difficult, with many having been displaced or relocated. However, for Manipur, the road to recovery remains as difficult as rebuilding the bridges destroyed by conflict.
