Imphal/Guwahati: Two people were killed and three wounded in an alleged gunfight between “armed miscreants” in Manipur’s Imphal West district adjoining Kangpokpi district, said the state police in a statement Tuesday. Sources in the security establishment identified the groups involved as those from the state’s tribal Kuki and non-tribal Meitei communities, who have been engaged in violence since May last year.
According to security sources, the incident occurred near Koutruk village, about 8 km from Imphal city. The firing allegedly began around 2:30-3:00 pm Tuesday from Bethel village towards Koutruk, claimed sources. Although police have not officially revealed the identities of those killed, civilian sources claimed that the dead were from the Meitei community and identified them as N. Michael (33) of Wangkhei in Imphal East and M. Khaba (23) of Sagoltongba Mamang Leikai in Imphal West.
Police sources said the victims had been brought to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Hospital in Imphal Tuesday evening.
Soon after Tuesday’s alleged gunfight, videos showing men in combat fatigues, who appeared to be armed with assault rifles and could be heard shouting slogans against Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, a Meitei leader, started doing the rounds of social media. ThePrint could not independently verify the authenticity of the videos.
Meanwhile, Manipur Police said security forces have found arms and explosives in “search operations and area domination” exercises conducted in Churachandpur in the past 24 hours.
Search operations and area domination were conducted by security forces in the fringe and vulnerable areas of hill and valley districts. During the operation the following items were recovered from Churachandpur district:
(i)1(one) 9mm pistol with mag, 1(one) .303 rifle with mag,… pic.twitter.com/nLTWMOK7w3
— Manipur Police (@manipur_police) January 30, 2024
Arms and ammunition seized include anti-riot ammunition such as smoke shells, tear gas grenades and cartridges, a 9mm pistol, a .303 rifle, an improvised 5.56 mm rifle and magazines, a 12 bore gun, improvised mortar (Pumpi), and a pair of jungle boots, state police said in a post on social media platform X (previously Twitter).
Manipur has been on the boil since 3 May, 2023, when festering ethnic tensions between the dominant Meitei and tribal Kuki-Zo communities erupted into full-fledged violence. Police data shows over 200 have died and 50,000 displaced in the violence since.
The state is divided into hill and valley areas. While the Meitei-dominated Imphal valley occupies the central region, the southern hills are primarily inhabited by the Kuki tribes, and the northern hills are home to the Nagas.