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Manipur: In Manipur,Fresh violence erupted as an incident of firing was reported in the Bishnupur district on Wednesday . The incident transpired between Kumbi in Bishnupur district and Wangoo community in Thoubal district.
Thr official said that the firing prompted more than 100 women, children and elderly to flee to safer areas. Further, four people went missing after they had gone to harvest ginger near the area where the firing took place.
Local reports said six rounds of mortar firing took place before firing from small firearms ensued.The official further said that security forces rushed to the spot and exchanged fire forcing the attackers to stop firing.
They added no injuries have been reported so far. The four missing people have been identified as Oinam Romen Meitei (45), Ahanthem Dara Meitei (56), Thoudam Ibomcha Meitei (53) and Thoudam Anand Meitei (27).
After the incident, a missing report was filed at the Kumbi Police Station after the incident. As per sources, the possibility of them being held captive by militants cannot be ruled out and help from central forces has been sought.
Earlier on January 1, clashes broke out between unidentified armed miscreants and locals in Thoubal’s Lilong area. According to the police, four people died in the clashes. Earlier on January 9, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said that the current situation in the state could have been avoided had there been no problem of narcotics and illegal immigrants.
Speaking at an event in Imphal, he said that he would resign if the government measures against the use of drugs and its campaigns against the influx of unauthorised immigrants to contain the situation in the state are found to be unconstitutional. Intermittent incidents of violence have been reported in the last few months following clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities in May last year, in which 180 people have lost their lives so far.
The clashes broke out after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organized in the hill districts of the state in protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.The violence was preceded by tension over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserved forest land, leading to several small movements.
