Author name: Karamala Areesh Kumar

The use of highly advanced weaponry to strike people has reopened interest in the ongoing Manipur conflict, as several academics and media sources have labelled it an “act of terrorism”. A large number of young people who have experienced trauma, homelessness, or loss of employment are susceptible to recruitment by insurgent groups. The adolescents have turned to insurgency as a way of purpose and financial incentives, using it as a means of retaliation or survival against opposing ethnic communities. According to studies, the state’s youth gun ownership rate is at an all-time high, and the population is mainly in favour of it. This is becoming a significant challenge for counterinsurgencies to overcome