Imphal/Guwahati
While incidents of militants fighting gun-battles with security forces were reported from various parts of Manipur on Friday — a day after Home Minister Amit Shah concluded his visit — as many as 15 people were said to be injured when suspected heavily-armed Kuki militants attacked two villages in the State’s West district.
Manipur Police and Manipur Rifles stationed at the two villages – Phayeng and Kangchup Chingkhong – retaliated leading to an exchange of fire that lasted for more than four hours on Friday night, the police said adding the militants were pushed back to nearby hills.
The injured have been admitted to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences and Raj Medicity in Imphal where two injured are said to be critical, they said.
Police said the bodies have been deposited at the morgue of JNIMS and the seven were killed during the gunfight that broke out last week at Sugnu after armed Kuki militants launched an attack.
Reports of fresh attacks in the last 24 hours were also reported from Pombikhok in the Bishnupur district though no casualty or injury is reported.
Meanwhile, a combined team of Manipur Police, Border Security Force and Assam Rifles recovered seven bodies from the Sugnu-Serou area in Kakching district. The death toll in the over-a-month-long violence in the State has neared 100 and more than 300 have been injured.
With Shah issuing a stern warning to rioters and calling for surrendering of weapons, more than 140 weapons were surrendered on Friday. Rioters are said to have looted more than 2000 weapons from State armouries.
A total of 37,450 people are currently sheltered in 272 relief camps, said the statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
Clashes first broke out on May 3 after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
