Ukhrul Clash: How a drunken brawl, rumours and misinformation sparked tension

“We’re seeing circulation of the same (or similar) account of the first day, but different versions of who did what from both sides,” said Rinrin,* a resident of Ukhrul, to EastMojo.

In the past few days, tension erupted over what people refer to as a drunken brawl on February 7 at Litan in Ukhrul district. A report by Ukhrul Times said over 50 houses have been gutted.

Rinrin took the example of a recent incident on the night of October 10, 2025, where she said the women in Ukhrul had staged a check and blockade of army vehicles. “By the time I woke up, the clip had been repackaged as angry women on a mission to burn a village down. Social media works fast.”

Even before that, an image had been shared on social media where a woman was allegedly holding a baby and escaping with an IV drip.

A text on the image read, “As the Tangkhul community, in alliance with NSCN-Muivah, burns her village, a newborn learns fear before life.”

Commenting on the image, Rinrin said, “This clash is deeply hurting both sides. I cannot begin to imagine what those on the ground are going through. However, the image being circulated was originally shared on a Facebook page on February 7, while the event itself broke out on February 8. Spreading false stories and misusing unrelated images only fan the flames and delay any real solution.”

“There is a lot happening, a lot of news passed around. Everyone is scared and on alert about how badly this can escalate further. Both sides are clearly very violent, but falsifying stories or sharing unverified stories is something neither should be doing. It’s only adding fuel to the anger. I don’t even want to go as far as to imagine this turning to a scale similar to the Meitei-Kuki clash. We are hearing a lot of things, but let’s stay hopeful and positive that neither wants this to escalate further,” she added.

On February 11, the Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO), Churachandpur District, expressed deep concern over the reported scuffle between the Kuki and Tangkhul communities in Ukhrul district. The organisation said the incident reportedly arose from a drunken brawl and the misunderstanding that followed, leading to localised tension.

“At this point in time, the matter is confined to the concerned area and is being addressed by the responsible authorities and community leaders. In view of the above, KSO, Churachandpur District, strongly urges the people of Churachandpur district not to panic and to remain calm and vigilant. We also appeal to all sections of the public, especially social media users and page administrators, not to circulate or share any unverified, misleading, or inflammatory content that may further aggravate the situation.”

Commenting on the difference between the Kuki-Meitei clashes and the present clash with the Tangkhul community, research scholar Thangminlal Lalboy Doungel said, “There is a fundamental difference between this incident and the Kuki–Meitei conflict. One was pre-planned, with the head of the government and state machinery tacitly involved, showing intent to wipe out the whole community. This, however, is an isolated scuffle between individuals. Misunderstandings happen, especially as it is tied to an old land dispute that has not been resolved. It does have the potential to flare up, though. Calling it a full-scale conflict would be hyperbole, but the anger is definitely there.”

On a popular Instagram page, Voice of the Kuki, a video was shared in which a woman, Nemneirose Baite, narrates the sequence of events and concludes with the statement, “What started as a small and manageable issue was then exaggerated through rumours and misinformation, turning into a bigger conflict. This is not a communal problem; it is a local dispute that has been unnecessarily escalated. We do not want conflict or violence.”

The person who spoke in the video, Nemneirose, told EastMojo, “It is being portrayed as communal, which it is not. It is a matter between villages, and I am from the village myself. The issue is between Litan Sareikhong and Sikibung villages.”

A police official in Manipur confirmed the circulation of disinformation and fake news on social media.

Citing an example, the official told EastMojo that misleading claims were made following reports of an arson incident at Sareikhong Litan. According to the police, upon receiving information about the fire, Manipur Police teams rushed to the spot and alerted the fire brigade. Nearly an hour later, an Army team also arrived at the scene.

Shortly thereafter, a group of local youths gathered at the location and demanded that the Army personnel leave. When the Army remained present, some of the youths began recording videos and allegedly circulated claims on social media accusing the Security Forces of setting the house on fire.

The official stated that these allegations were false and warned that legal action would be initiated against individuals and social media handles found spreading misleading information.

Also Read: Ukhrul violence: Three years on, is Manipur on the brink again?