Two individuals, including a policeman, sustained injuries in a gunfight in Manipur’s Imphal East district on Friday as security forces engaged with armed men who launched attacks on villages.
According to a senior Manipur police official, the altercation began when armed men from hilltops opened indiscriminate fire and hurled bombs at Sanasabi and Thamnapokpi villages around 10.45 am, compelling security forces to retaliate.
The injured policeman, identified as 37-year-old K Haridash, suffered a bullet wound to his left shoulder and was rushed to Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences, where he is scheduled to undergo minor surgery.
Another individual, a village volunteer, sustained minor injuries on his hands and was taken to a private hospital. His condition has been declared stable.
“The village volunteers joined security forces in countering the armed men,” the officer added, noting that the attacks in Thamnapokpi around 11.30 am caused panic among residents.
Security forces, including personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), successfully rescued several women, children, and elderly individuals caught in the crossfire.
Local villagers fled in panic as the confrontation unfolded, leaving behind a scene of chaos.
The state has been plagued by ethnic violence since May last year, claiming over 250 lives and displacing thousands. Clashes between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups have contributed to the prevailing unrest.
In a separate incident in Imphal West’s Chingmeirong area, unidentified individuals left a hand grenade in the compound of a doctor’s residence. A note bearing the message “KCP (PWG) last warning” was found alongside the grenade, suggesting a possible link to extortion demands, according to another police official.
The Kangleipak Communist Party (People's War Group), a banned militant outfit, is allegedly involved in extortion activities across the Imphal Valley.
The grenade was later removed by the authorities, and an investigation is underway.
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