Manipur has alarmingly emerged as the state with the highest incidence of violent crimes and rioting in India’s Northeast region for 2023, as per a recent report from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
The NCRB data highlights that Manipur, a state grappling with intense ethnic conflict between the Imphal Valley-based Meitei community and the tribal Kuki communities residing in the adjacent hills since May 2023, also registered the highest number of crimes and atrocities committed against Scheduled Tribes nationwide during the same year.
The severity of the situation is starkly reflected in the figures: Manipur documented a staggering 14,427 violent crimes in 2023. This marks a dramatic increase when compared to just 631 such incidents in 2022 and 545 in 2021, indicating a rapid deterioration of law and order.
While Assam also reported a significant number of violent incidents with 11,552 cases in 2023, Manipur’s figures place it at the forefront of this disturbing trend in the Northeast.
The report further reveals a shocking spike in crimes against Scheduled Tribes, with 3,339 cases reported in Manipur in 2023. This is a monumental leap from only 1 case in 2022 and zero reported cases in 2021, underscoring the severe impact of the ongoing unrest on vulnerable communities.
Manipur also led the Northeast in other serious offenses, recording 5,421 cases of rioting and an alarming 6,203 incidents of arson. The state additionally saw 330 robbery cases and 1,213 dacoity cases reported within the year.
The human cost of the violence is evident in the murder statistics, with 151 murders and 818 attempts to commit murder recorded in 2023.
Furthermore, 89 cases of kidnapping and 27 instances of rape were documented, painting a grim picture of the security situation.
Despite the high numbers in other categories, crimes against women saw a decrease, with 201 cases reported in 2023, down from 248 in 2022 and 302 in 2021.
Tragically, the ongoing ethnic violence between the Kuki and Meitei communities since May 2023 has resulted in over 260 deaths and has displaced thousands of people, leaving many homeless and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region.