In the early hours of Wednesday, there were reports of heavy gunfire in certain parts of Manipur. According to news agency PTI, the shooting started at around 4:30 am, mainly in the Kangpokpi and Bishnupur districts.
So far, there have been no recorded casualties. According to PTI, which cited security authorities, the previous incidence of intermittent shooting between two groups happened on July 4 between 7 and 8 pm. After this time, the shooting ceased and there were no casualties indicated.
On the morning of July 4, a group of armed criminals attempted to steal firearms from the India Reserve Battalion (IRB), which was stationed in a village in the Thoubal district of Manipur. During the altercation between the criminals and security personnel, a 27-year-old guy was slain.
According to them, the crowd attempted to raid the camp of an India Reserve Battalion in the Khangabok region in order to steal weapons and ammunition.
A quick battle with the army ensued. In an effort to manage the situation, the authorities initially deployed rubber bullets and tear gas shells. Officials claimed that once the armed crowd began to shoot, the authorities returned fire.
The state police stated in a statement on Monday that there were tense situations and sporadic acts of violence in several areas of Manipur. As the violence continues unabatedly, around 118 checkpoints have been set up and 326 individuals have been detained throughout the state.
Since May 3, when a Kuki solidarity march organised by the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM) to protest the Meitei community’s demand for a Scheduled Tribe state took a violent turn, Manipur has been the scene of extensive ethnic conflicts.
