Police and army sources said firing from automatic weapons was reported from Kwatha and Kangwai areas of conflict-torn Manipur last night and intermittent firing was being reported till this morning.
Imphal: Two civilians were injured in overnight clashes between security forces and a mob in Manipur’s Imphal city. Officials gave this information on Saturday. Police and army sources said firing from automatic weapons was reported from Kwatha and Kangwai areas of conflict-torn Manipur last night and intermittent firing was being reported till this morning. Several incidents of mob vandalism and arson have also been reported. He told that in Imphal the mob also tried to burn down the houses of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders.
According to officials, there were reports of firing throughout the night from Kwakta in Manipur’s Bishnupur district and Kangwai in Churachandpur district. There is also news of firing on the security forces. There was an attempted robbery at Iringabam police station in Imphal West. However, no weapon was stolen during this period. According to officials, the army, Assam Rifles and Manipur Rapid Action Force (RAF) took out a joint march till midnight in Imphal to prevent rioters from assembling.
Sources said that a mob of about 1,000 people tried to set fire to buildings located near the palace complex. According to officials, the RAF fired tear gas shells and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd. He told that in Imphal the mob also tried to set fire to the house of MLA Biswajit. However, the RAF contingent dispersed the crowd.
According to officials, the mob gheraoed the BJP office in Sinjemai after midnight, but could not harm it as the army dispersed the mob.
He said that similarly, a mob tried to ransack the house of BJP women’s wing president Sharda Devi near Porampet in Imphal around midnight, but the security forces chased them away.
Violent clashes broke out in Manipur on May 3 after a ‘tribal solidarity march’ was organized in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Since the outbreak of ethnic violence, about 120 people have died in the state so far and more than three thousand people have been injured.
