Manipur recorded the highest number of violent crimes and rioting cases in the Northeast in 2023, according to the latest report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). The state, which has been gripped by an ethnic conflict between Meiteis of the Imphal Valley and Kukis in the hill districts since May 2023, also reported the highest number of crimes against Scheduled Tribes in the country that year.
The NCRB said Manipur registered 14,427 violent crimes in 2023, a sharp rise from 631 cases in 2022 and 545 in 2021. Assam followed with 11,552 incidents, making it the second-highest in the region.
Crimes against Scheduled Tribes surged dramatically in Manipur, with 3,339 cases in 2023, compared to just one in 2022 and none in 2021. The state also reported 5,421 cases of rioting, 6,203 incidents of arson, 330 robberies, and 1,213 cases of dacoity.
The report noted that Manipur recorded 151 murders, 818 attempted murders, 89 kidnappings, and 27 rapes in 2023. Crimes against women saw a slight dip, with 201 cases registered, compared to 248 in 2022 and 302 in 2021.
Since the outbreak of violence in May 2023, more than 260 people have been killed and thousands displaced as the ethnic conflict continues to devastate the state.
