In a fresh incident of violence, two individuals, believed to be Kuki militants, was killed in a gunfight in Manipur on Saturday.
The shootout occurred at the tri-junction of Imphal East, Kangpokpi, and Ukhrul districts, particularly at Moirangpurel in Imphal East and Kangpokpi since 8 am in the morning.
Tensions escalated after two days of cross-firing between Heirok in Thoubal District and Tengnoupal. The situation worsened at Moirangpurel, with armed groups from Kangpokpi and Imphal East clashing. The violence persisted past 1 pm on Saturday as village volunteers from valley districts retaliated against armed militants from Kangpokpi.
According to villagers, the conflict was sparked by Kuki militants constructing bunkers near their settlement, prompting village volunteers to respond, resulting in the confrontation. Even Manipur police vehicles sustained damage when they arrived at the scene to control the situation.
The Kuki militants later fled the spot, leaving behind the injured. Armed village volunteers discovered at least two injured militants who were subsequently neutralised.
The situation is now under control, with government security agencies securing the area. Besides the two fatalities among the Kangpokpi group, several injuries are believed to have occurred.
Following the incident, tension remains high in the area surrounding the tri-junction of Kangpokpi, Ukhrul, and Imphal East.
Since ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur on May 3 last year, at least 219 people have been killed. The clashes occurred during a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
Meiteis make up about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and primarily reside in the Imphal Valley. On the other hand, Nagas and Kukis, constituting a little over 40 per cent, reside in the hill districts.
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