Manipur Violence: Fresh Gunfight In Kangpokpi District Leaves 1 Dead, 2 Injured

A gunfight ensued between two armed groups in Manipur's Kangpokpi district which left one village volunteer dead and two others injured, according to Manipur police.

One village volunteer lost his life, and two others sustained injuries during a gunfight between two armed groups in Manipur's Kangpokpi district on Saturday morning, according to police. The fatal clash unfolded when armed miscreants infiltrated the hill village of Satang Kuki, unleashing gunfire and explosive devices, news agency PTI reported.

The skirmish came to an end as the attackers withdrew upon the arrival of additional backup forces at Satang village, stated the police, as per PTI. The injured individuals have been hurried to a private hospital in Imphal, with one victim sustaining splinter injuries on the face and the other on the thigh, as per hospital sources cited by PTI. Further details on the incident are awaited.

'State And Central Forces Collaborating To Restore Peace': Manipur DGP On Violence

Earlier, Manipur Director General of Police (DGP) Rajiv Singh, speaking on Friday, affirmed that state and central forces are collaborating to restore tranquillity in the northeastern state. Singh disclosed the existence of coordination committees at the state and district levels for normalising the situation in the violence-affected state.

"We (State and central forces) are always in constant touch. We have coordination committees at the state headquarters and district levels and have several video conferences," stated the DGP on the sidelines of a Republic Day programme, as quoted by PTI.

The senior cop refrained from divulging details on the ongoing investigation into the killing of SDPO Moreh, emphasising the need to let the police work.

Addressing the ethnic violence that has plagued Manipur since May 3 last year, Singh asserted that the situation will improve with public cooperation. He acknowledged the complexity of the issue, with over 180 lives lost since the outbreak of violence.

The conflict began last year during the 'Tribal Solidarity March' organised in protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, leading to tensions between Meiteis in the Imphal Valley and tribals, including Nagas and Kukis, in the hill districts.