At least 55 people have died and 260 were hospitalized after violence broke out between the Kuki and Meitei ethnic groups, CNN reports.
Over 23,000 people have been forced to flee the violence in the Indian state of Manipur and the Indian army has been deployed to the region.
The violence broke out following opposition to the inclusion of the Meitei ethnic group in India’s “Scheduled Tribe” grouping.
Scheduled tribes gain benefits including health, education and government jobs, but other tribal groups fear it would reduce their own opportunities.
