India’s Manipur has once again become hot as soon as the state polls are over. On Sunday (April 28), one person was reported dead in a gunfight between the Meitei and Kuki communities. Three others were injured. Earlier on Friday night, two Central Army jawans were killed by gunmen in the state.
Indian news media NDTV reported that the gunfight broke out between two sides of the Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur’s West Imphal district on Sunday morning. Casualties have also occurred.
According to the police, several gunmen opened fire indiscriminately targeting the village of Kautruk. This spread panic among the villagers. In response to the attack, retaliatory fire was fired from inside the village.
Since then, tension has prevailed in the region. Additional security forces have been deployed to bring the situation under control.
After the two-phase Lok Sabha polls, Manipur has been in turmoil since Friday night. Two Central Army CRPF jawans were killed in an attack by gunmen in Bishnupur district of the state. At least four others were seriously injured by bullets and grenades. The state chief minister has expressed deep condemnation of the incident.
At the beginning of May last year, the conflict started over the granting of special status to the Meitei community. Although later the Imphal High Court revoked the controversial order, peace did not return to the state.
About two hundred people have lost their lives so far in the ongoing conflict. The number of homeless is about 60 thousand.
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