Imphal: Fresh violence has once again shaken Manipur after a woman was shot dead and a man sustained injuries during a gunfight between suspected rival militant groups in Kangpokpi district on Thursday, November 12. The incident has heightened concerns over the deteriorating security situation in the region, which has witnessed repeated armed clashes in recent weeks.
According to officials, the exchange of fire broke out at around 11 am in an area near Taphou Kuki village in Kangpokpi district and Kailengjang in neighbouring Senapati district. The gunfight reportedly involved suspected members of rival armed groups.
The deceased woman has been identified as Nengboi Chongloi, a resident of Taphou Kuki village. She was reportedly working in a nearby agricultural field when the firing erupted. After the exchange of gunfire, locals and security personnel found her body lying in the field. She was reportedly holding a sickle in her hand at the time she was found.
A man who sustained injuries during the firing was immediately shifted to a private hospital in Kangpokpi district for medical treatment. Further details about his condition and the circumstances in which he was injured were not immediately available.
The latest incident comes amid growing tensions following the abduction and killing of two Kuki-Zo civilians from Taphou Kuki village. The two youths had gone missing from the vicinity of the village on October 28. Their bodies were subsequently recovered in neighbouring Senapati district on November 1. Their deaths triggered widespread anger and protests in the Kangpokpi region.
The Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU), a Kangpokpi-based tribal organisation, has been organising protests over what it considers an unsatisfactory response to its demands following the killings. The organisation has also demanded that Taphou Kuki village be brought under the jurisdiction of Kangpokpi district police instead of the existing Senapati district police jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, the state government is considering handing over the investigation into the killing of the two Kuki-Zo civilians to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Manipur Police Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Lhari Dorjee Lhatoo had indicated earlier that the proposal was at an advanced stage, with formal orders awaited.
The latest gunfight has added another layer of uncertainty to an already tense situation. With protests continuing and fresh incidents of armed violence being reported, concerns are mounting over the safety of civilians in vulnerable areas of Manipur.
Authorities are yet to provide further details about the identities of the groups involved in Thursday's exchange of fire.
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