Seven people, including two police commandos, have been killed and three Border Security Force (BSF) personnel have been injured in separate incidents of violence in Manipur since Wednesday.
The seven deaths include four people who were shot dead at Ningthoukhong Kha Khunou in Manipur’s Bishnupur district on Thursday evening, police confirmed, saying that among the victims were a man and his 60-year-old father.
One village volunteer was killed in a gunfight between two warring communities in Manipur's Kangpokpi district on Wednesday night, officials said. The shootout took place after suspected militants launched an attack on Kangchup from the adjoining hill areas, prompting village volunteers in low-lying locality to retaliate, they said.
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Meanwhile, two Manipur Police commandos were killed and two sustained bullet wounds on Wednesday after heavily armed militants targeted them in Moreh, a business town close to the Myanmar border, officials said.
The deceased have been identified as Wangkhem Somorjit (32) and Takhellambam Saileshwore from Lamshang in Imphal West district, officials said.
Manipur has been severely hit by ethnic violence that has been going on since May last year and has killed over 180 people so far.
The violence erupted on May 3 after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
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Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. At the same time, tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mostly in the hill districts.
At least three BSF personnel sustained bullet injuries after gunmen fired at security forces in Manipur's Thoubal district late Wednesday night, police said. The incident occurred when the gunmen from a mob which "attempted to breach the Thoubal police headquarters" fired at the security personnel, a police statement said.
The mob, first, targeted the 3rd Indian Reserve Battalion at Khangabok in Thoubal district and security forces repelled them using minimum force.
"Further, the mob attempted to breach Thoubal police headquarters, prompting the security forces to use the force. Armed men from among the mob fired with live rounds. As a result, three personnel from BSF sustained bullet injuries," the police statement said.
The three, identified as Constable Gourav Kumar, ASI Sobram Singh and ASI Ramji, are undergoing treatment at a private hospital.
(with PTI inputs)
