Manipur violence: Gun firing in periphery still continue, one killed in Bishnupur district

One person succumbed to bullet injury and one sustain an injury at the Thamnapok area under Bishnupur district on May 24 when suspected militants fired from the hillside at Thamnapokpi under Bishnupur district this morning. 

Addressing the media in a press conference at Chief Minister’s secretariat, security adviser to Manipur Government, Kuldeip Singh said that on May 24 at around 12.00 AM, suspected armed militants had come down from the hill towards Molngat foothill or Tronglaobi under Phougakchao Ikhai Police Station in Bishnupur district. They had burned down about abandoned three houses. 

In retaliation to it, some houses belonging to other communities were burnt down in nearby villages namely Phougakchao, Tronglaobi, Phaijangvai. Those houses are already damaged or burned partially. 

Also Read: Manipur: Assam Rifles recover huge cache of arms and ammunition, three arrested

People started demonstrations and chased militants. Forces were rushed to the spot however irate protesters were prevented from entering. They try to make them understand and later the security personnel keep the situation under control., he added.

He continued that suspected armed militants had fired guns from the hillside today morning. In that incident, two persons got bullet injuries at Thamnapokpi foothill under Bishnupur district. But unfortunately, one person identified as Toijam Chandramani from Churachandpur Thengra Leirak succumb at the hospital and others got injured. The deceased person presently stayed at a relief camp. 

A large number of villagers came out and gathered at Moirang Lamkhai and try to stop all vehicles of security forces. Two companies of Rapid Action Force and other forces deployed to pacify the villagers. Along with this, combined forces of Assam Rifles, Army, CAPF and state police carried out the search operation in whole places where unwanted incidents occurred. The forces found two single-barrel, one double-barrel gun and three Chinese hand grenades with cartridges, he informed.

He further said that there is a plan to deploy more forces permanently in these vulnerable sites of foothills to prevent such gun firing. 

He said that on the same day at around 1.30 AM, suspected militants fired guns at the upper hill of Singda and Kandangband Part-1. One person named Aribam Rishikesh Sharma sustained a bullet injury. The victim was evacuated to the Regional Institute of Medical Science and is now safe from danger. BSF and one section of Manipur Rifles rushed to the spot and conducted an operation and dominated the areas.

He also informed that operations against armed militants and miscreants are intensified by Army/Assam Rifles/CAPF and state forces. On May 23 at around 9.35 PM, while a combined team of Manipur Police and 22 AR was conducting a frisking and checking at Kangchup Foothill under Lamshang Police Station, three persons coming on an alto car were arrested and seized huge quantity of arms and ammunition. 

The arrested persons are Thangneinang Khaute Vaiphei aged 63 from Leilon Pheijang Vaiphei Village under Kangpokpi district; Luntinsang Chongloi aged 33 from Leilon Pheijang Vaiphei Village under Kangpokpi district and Lunsiamlen Vaiphei aged 19 from Leilon Pheijang Vaiphei Village under Kangpokpi district. Thangneinang Khaute Vaiphei is the chairman or chief of the village and retired technical Jugali of the Public Health and Engineering Department. Whereas Luntinsang Chongloi is a newly recruited rifleman of the 10th IRB Battalion, he added.

He said that seized items were 12 bore ammunition-Shaktiman; 12-bore ammunition AGNI SHOOT, five locally made grenades; two numbers single barrels; two double barrels; one folding butt double barrel, cash worth Rs 37,650 and one alto car. 

To keep the situation under control, curfew relaxation in various districts such as Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur and Jiribam was curtailed all of a sudden.