Manipur: Cop killed, 5 injured in shootout with ‘Kuki militants’

The fresh firing took place in Tronglaobi when a police team was patrolling the area. Reports said the police team, which was travelling on a vehicle, came under indiscriminate firing by the suspected militants, killing one policeman on the spot and injuring five others. The injured were shifted to different hospitals in Imphal.

Confirming the incident, Manipur Education Minister said the shootout occurred around 7 am. He further informed that there could be casualties on the militant side also.

Taking serious note of the repeated firing between armed miscreants and security forces in the peripheral areas of Imphal, Manipur Police and Assam Rifles have started inspection of the designated camps of militants under the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement.

“The state force and Assam Rifles have started inspection of camps set up under the SoO. The verification process for armed men kept in their camps has also started,” Manipur Education Minister Th Basanta Singh said.

In a separate incident, three Meitei villagers were reportedly abducted by armed miscreants on Thursday morning at Torbung Bangla in Bishnupur district.

The villagers, who had been staying at a relief camp in Moirang, went to their village, Torbung Bangla, to get supplies.

“There were seven of us. Two of them were unloading rice from a granary as we waited outside, standing guard. Out of nowhere, around 5 armed persons showed up. Some of us, including me, managed to escape but three persons were abducted,” said W Mohen, 42.

Meanwhile, around 180 Imphal-bound goods-laden trucks were forced to return from Kangpokpi district towards Senapati district after a large number of people blocked the Kangpokpi stretch of National Highway-2. Kangpokpi, about 43 km away from Manipur’s capital Imphal, is a Kuki-dominated district.

The irate mobs at Kangpokpi town also burnt down a car along the highway, an official report said. Following the blockade, the convoy of trucks retreated to Senapati district (Naga-dominated district).

On the contrary, Minister Th Basanta said the “overall situation” in the state has improved significantly except for the sporadic incidents of violence.

“Situation is almost under control with the successful deployment of troops in sensitive areas. Security forces are constantly working on area domination, flag march, aerial survey among others,” he said.

Situation was relatively calm in the capital city Imphal where curfew restriction was lifted for 7 hours from 5 am to 12 noon on Thursday. Long queues were seen in front of ATM centres, petrol pumps and banks during the curfew relaxation hours.