Smoke billows from an abandoned house set on fire by miscreants in the violence-hit Manipur, in Imphal on August 5, 2023.
Manipur reported over 6,200 cases of arson in 2023 — a dramatic surge from fewer than 30 cases annually in each of the previous five years. The State alone accounted for 45% of all arson cases filed in India in 2023, up from just 1% the year before.
The above findings are drawn from the Crime in India 2023 statistics released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). Arson cases fall under Sections 435 to 438 of the IPC, which deal with mischief by fire or explosive substance, either with intent to destroy a house or to cause damage worth ₹100 or more.
Manipur witnessed an ethnic conflict between the Imphal Valley-based Meitei community and the hill-based Kuki tribe, which erupted in May 2023 and has continued to spark violence through 2025. The clashes have left hundreds dead and displaced nearly 70,000 people.
Reports document widespread destruction, with hundreds of churches, houses, temples, and vehicles across the State set ablaze or vandalised. The sharp rise in arson cases in 2023 aligns with the timeline of this violence.
In fact, the sudden spurt in arson cases in Manipur nearly doubled the total number of arson cases in India, rising to 13,626 in 2023 compared with the previous year. This is the highest figure in at least six years. Between 2018 and 2022, India recorded an annual average of about 8,200 arson cases.
In 2023, Manipur reported nearly six times as many arson cases as Maharashtra, the State with the second-highest numbers. Maharashtra recorded the most arson cases among all States in the previous year.
With inputs from Vignesh Radhakrishnan
Published – October 01, 2025 09:19 am IST
