More than 50 people were injured in Monday's violence

But the Nagas and the Kukis - martial tribes with a fierce tradition of clan warfare - control the hills around the valley and make up about 30% of the population.

While the Nagas and the Kuki militants fought a bitter ethnic feud in the 1990s, the relations between the Nagas and the Meiteis have worsened since the separatist National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) started negotiating with the Indian Government.

'Greater Nagaland'

When the Naga insurrection began in the 1950s, the Indian army tried to take control of the hills of Manipur which caused the insurgency to spread throughout the Manipur valley.

The NSCN has called for a greater Naga state, proposing to integrate Naga inhabited areas of Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and even Burma with Nagaland.

The attacks also reflect frustration over Manipur's politicians

But the Meiteis as well as insurgent groups representing them have threatened violent action if Naga-dominant districts are parcelled away to Nagaland.

Last week's extension of the ceasefire between the NSCN and the Indian Government is seen by most Manipuris as a prelude to the creation of the greater Naga state.

The Indian Government and even the NSCN has said there is no correlation between the two - but since the NSCN has not renounced the demand, the Meiteis remain very suspicious about a possible division of their state.

Political uncertainty

Manipur has also been gripped by political turmoil, with two governments falling in as many months and the state has been placed under federal rule.

Monday's attacks on the state assembly reflects as much the apprehension of a possible break-up of Manipur as well as frustration over the state's own politicians.

All this has eroded the credibility of the political system in Manipur and people, particularly youths, are turning to militant non-political groups to lead the agitation.

But observers say Delhi will not be able to revoke the extension of its ceasefire with the NSCN as that could send the group's 2,000-strong guerrilla army back to war.