Keisam Pradipkumar, Chairman of the Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR), expressed apprehension that without urgent intervention, the Northeast state risks “losing an entire generation—whether to suicide, substance abuse, or the lure of violence”. The statement comes in the wake of the death by suicide of a boy inside a relief camp opened at Jiribam Higher Secondary School on September 28. Pradipkumar said that the prolonged ethnic conflict has taken a heavy toll on the mental health of the internally displaced, particularly minors. In the span of just over two months, at least four minors, some from relief camps, have died by suicide. The first such incident was reported on July 23, wherein a 13-year-old boy allegedly ended his life inside a school at Saiton Village in Bishnupur district. Quoting an independent survey conducted by NGOs, Pradipkumar said that nearly two-thirds (65.8 per cent) of internally displaced people show signs of post-traumatic stress disorder, while 40 per cent battle moderate to severe anxiety. “Children are the most vulnerable, grappling with broken education, uprooted lives, and an uncertain tomorrow. The trauma extends beyond direct victims of violence. Witnessing homes torched, losing loved ones, or living under the shadow of displacement, restricted movements on highways have left psychological wounds that rarely meet the eye,” he said. Pradipkumar drew the attention of the authorities to the need for the immediate rollout of the Manipur State Policy for Children, which was first notified in 2020 for public input and revised in April 2025 but remains in limbo. “The Government cannot afford further delay, for the emerging trend is the fallout of system error. Such an incident cannot be considered as isolated,” Pradipkumar said. “If enforced with a clear action plan, this policy could provide a safety net for vulnerable children, especially those in camps. Under the President’s Rule, this is a chance for a decisive response”. Over 250 people have been killed and around 60 thousand have been displaced by the ethnic conflict that erupted in the state on May 3, 2023. Of the total displaced, over 25,000 are minors, according to the MCPCR.
