Two killed as Manipur hostilities flare afresh

Fragile peace maintained over the past month-anda-half in strife-torn Manipur was rattled with the death of two people on Saturday as a bloody gunfight erupted between two armed groups in a village bordering Kangpokpi and Imphal East districts, marking the first death in clashes in the northeastern state in at least 46 days.

Since Thursday night, the state now has reported at least three separate incidents of violence. On Friday, two men were injured in a gunfight with militants at Tengnoupal. Later in the evening, militants disrupted and dispersed a gathering of people in Bishnupur district who had assembled to meet Congress Lok Sabha candidate for inner Manipur, Bimol Akoijam.

The violence came just six days before general elections begin in the restive state.

Saturday morning’s gunbattle took place at around 9am as militants from the two sides engaged in an exchange of heavy gunfire in a border region between Kuki and Meitei villages.

People aware of the matter said that the gunfight had started in the area of Kamu Saichang village. The villages in Kangpokpi are close to the Meitei villages such as Moirangpur in Imphal East. Meities live in the valley districts such as Imphal East, while Kukis live in the hill districts such as Kangpokpi.

Security forces did not comment on which group started the gunfight, but confirmed the gunbattle in the morning and added that the situation was now “under control”.

“The area where the gunfight happened is the border between Kuki and Meitei villages of the two districts. It has happened in

THESE WERE THE FIRST DEATHS IN CLASHES IN THE RESTIVE STATE IN AT LEAST 46 DAYS, OFFICIALS SAID