Manipur after a month-long lull, leaving two Meitei ‘village volunteers’ wounded in the crossfire. The skirmish unfolded across the Thoubal and Tengnoupal inter-districts, marking the second consecutive day of violence, officials revealed.
Armed assailants descended from the hills of Pengang Kuki village, opening fire towards Ishingchaibi village, situated roughly 12 km from Heirok in Thoubal district, Manipur, around 11 pm on Thursday, according to an official statement.
A confrontation ensued between volunteers from both groups, with exchanges of gunfire persisting until 9 am on Friday.
The skirmishes extended to the neighboring villages of Heirok Ishigthingbi, Pengyang, Ingoulok, and Geljang, the official added.
Among the casualties were two Meitei Village Volunteers, including Ningthoujam Jamesh Singh (24) from Heirok part II Maning Leikai, Thoubal district, who sustained critical injuries. They were promptly transported to Raj Medicity Hospital in Imphal for urgent medical attention.
Upon receiving the alert, state forces moved in to quell the disturbance. Reports indicate sporadic confrontations between state forces and armed assailants are ongoing.
As of now, casualties on the opposing side remain unconfirmed. The situation in these inter-districts remains highly volatile, as per latest updates.
The conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities erupted on May 3, 2023, and has since persisted, claiming the lives of approximately 222 individuals.
