Security forces swiftly responded to the incident while facing obstacles from local women, as tensions escalate amid ongoing ethnic violence in the state.
In a concerning incident, a group of armed men reportedly sneaked from Yaingangpokpi (YKPI) in Manipur's Imphal East district and proceeded towards the hills on Friday afternoon. Officials confirmed that these individuals opened fire from automatic weapons towards the villages of Urangpat and Gwaltabi, creating panic among the residents.
Immediate action was taken by security forces as columns were swiftly deployed to the affected "vacant" villages to ensure the safety of the inhabitants and prevent any collateral damage. However, an unexpected hurdle emerged as a large group of women in the YKPI and Seijang areas obstructed the movement of additional columns into the region, further complicating the situation, according to officials.
This incident follows a distressing occurrence that took place the day before, where two soldiers were injured after unknown gunmen fired at them in the North Boljang area of Imphal West district at around 5 am on Thursday. As part of subsequent search operations conducted by the security forces, an INSAS light machine gun and an INSAS rifle were recovered, revealing the presence of weapons in the area.
Earlier, on Wednesday around 5:45 pm, residents near Urangpat, north of YKPI, reported hearing the sound of automatic small arms, raising concerns about the escalating violence in the region.
The ongoing ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur has already claimed the lives of more than 100 individuals, casting a shadow over the state. The clashes initially erupted on May 3 following a 'Tribal Solidarity March' organized in the hill districts in protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
Manipur's population consists of Meiteis, who make up about 53 percent and predominantly reside in the Imphal Valley, while the remaining 40 percent consists of Nagas and Kukis, who are tribal communities residing in the hill districts.