News Desk: A Kuki woman was killed in a firing incident in Manipur’s Kamjong district on Friday night during an operation to demolish allegedly illegal bunkers near Chassad police station. The incident triggered fresh tension in the area, with reports of houses being set on fire and further exchanges of gunfire between armed groups and security forces.
The deceased was identified by local residents as Domkhonei Touthang, a mother of five children. According to police, she sustained two bullet injuries to her upper left chest, near the neck, and died at the scene.
The incident occurred after security personnel received information about the construction of illegal bunkers near Chassad police station. Teams comprising civil police, the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) and the Border Security Force (BSF) subsequently launched an operation to demolish the structures.
During the operation, a group of women reportedly attempted to obstruct the demolition drive. Police said unidentified individuals opened fire at security personnel, who retaliated. The woman was caught in the exchange of gunfire.
Local residents, however, said the incident took place at around 9.30 pm during a protest against the alleged arbitrary arrest and detention of Chassad Village Volunteers.
Fresh violence and restrictions
Tensions escalated following the woman’s death. According to reports, unidentified individuals set several houses on fire, although the exact number of damaged properties had not been confirmed at the time of reporting.
Gunfire between armed groups and security forces continued until late Friday night. Shooting resumed at around 5 am on Saturday and reportedly continued until 7 am.
Authorities subsequently moved to restrict gatherings in the affected area to prevent further escalation.
The district magistrate of Kamjong imposed restrictions on gatherings within a 400-metre radius of the Chassad police gate junction in the scheduled area. The order was issued under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.
The latest incident has added to concerns over the fragile security situation in parts of Manipur, where tensions between communities and recurring armed clashes have repeatedly disrupted normal life.
The immediate priority for the authorities remains preventing further violence, maintaining law and order and establishing the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death and the reported arson.
Further details about the number of houses damaged and the sequence of events leading to the firing were awaited.
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