Manipur violence rages, 9 injured in firing

Imphal, NT Bureau: At least nine persons including two Manipur police personnel and a woman sustained bullet injuries after unidentified men fired on them at Kangchup foothills in Kangpokpi district adjoining Imphal West district on Tuesday, officials said.

Alarmed over the presence of five unknown persons from a different community who had strayed into Meitei area, a large group of people including women from Phayeng went to Kangchup hillside to find out about them, eyewitnesses said.

However, as soon as they reached, suspected militants from the hills started firing at them, they added. Later, village volunteers and security forces rushed to the spot leading to heavy exchange of fire, they said.

In a statement released on Tuesday night, the Manipur police confirmed that the vehicle carrying the group of Kuki people was “confronted by an enraged mob”.

“They forcibly took away four of them and their whereabouts are unknown,” the statement said.

The police said that the fifth member of the group was “rescued by security forces and airlifted by chopper to Dimapur for further treatment”.