Guwahati: Gunshots rang out late Tuesday night (December 16, 2025) in sensitive border areas of Manipur, reviving fear and anxiety in a state still grappling with prolonged ethnic unrest. Residents reported the firing from Torbung and Phougakchao Ikhai in Bishnupur district, a Meitei-majority region bordering Kuki-Zo-dominated Churachandpur district.
Police in Bishnupur confirmed the incident and said teams were verifying whether the gunfire caused any casualties. “We are assessing the situation and checking for injuries or loss of life,” a senior police officer said.
The shooting occurred just a day after 389 internally displaced persons returned to their homes in Bishnupur following more than 31 months in relief camps, raising concerns over renewed instability in resettlement zones.
Phougakchao Ikhai had earlier emerged as one of the flashpoints during the ethnic violence that erupted on May 3, 2023. That violence claimed over 260 lives and displaced an estimated 62,000 people across the state.
Despite government assurances, most displaced families from both the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities continue to live in relief camps spread across multiple districts. The state government has announced a three-phase resettlement plan, aiming to complete the process by December this year.
The latest gunfire has once again highlighted the fragile security situation along inter-district borders, even as authorities attempt to facilitate the return of displaced residents to their homes.