Guwahati: Despite all the efforts of the security forces, the ongoing hostilities between the two communities have failed to die down, with at least two persons from the Meitei community killed after heavy firing in Kadangband and Koutruk areas of Manipur’s Imphal West district, close to the border with the Kuki-Zomi-dominated Kangokpi district on Tuesday night. In the gunbattle that began on Tuesday evening, three others were also injured.
Security sources said that the two deceased were identified as 25-year-old Meishnam Khaba from Bishnupur district, and 33-year-old Nongthombam Michael from Imphal East district. Both bodies were taken to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal on Tuesday evening.
Of the three injured, one is reportedly a former Manipur BJP youth president, Barish Sharma.
The attack comes three days after a village volunteer was killed and two others were injured in a gunfight between two armed groups in the same district.
The Manipur police, in a social media post, said that search operations and area domination exercises were conducted by security forces in the fringe and vulnerable areas of the hill and valley districts. During the operation, they recovered one 9mm pistol with a magazine, one .303 rifle with a magazine, one improvised 5.56 mm rifle with a magazine, one 12 bore gun, one improvised mortar (Pumpi), two teargas shells, one tear gas grenade, some ammunition and a pair of jungle boots.
It is significant that at least nine people, including two Meitei police personnel posted in the border town of Moreh, have been killed in incidents of firing in Manipur this month.
