3 killed, 4 injured in shootout between armed groups in Manipur

Imphal, July 7 A civilian and two armed men were killed and four others injured in separate incidents in Manipur's Bishnupur districts on Friday, officials said.

Officials in Imphal said that armed assailants fired towards Phougakchao Ikhai, Awang Leikai, and Kwakta areas in Bishnupur district, killing a civilian and injuring another.

Meanwhile, reports in Imphal said that Manipur Police commando Pukham Ranbir, 39, of Bishnupur district was killed when suspected militants attacked Kwakta Ward No 9 at Moirang Turel Mapan Meetei village but authorities were yet to confirm it.

Following the firing in Bishnupur, police and paramilitary forces have rushed to the area and repelled the assailants, killing two of the armed attackers and injuring three.

The commando was reportedly shot dead while on guard at a bunker located at Kwakta. About the incident, police officials in Imphal said that they are collecting the details of the incident.

An official statement from the Manipur Police control room on Friday night said that the situation is tense in some places with sporadic incidents of firing reported and assembly of unruly mobs in few places during the past 24 hours triggered tension and chaos. However, the situation remains normal in most districts.

With 18 more illegal bunkers, set up by militants, destroyed in Imphal East, Imphal West, Churachandpur, Bishnupur and Kakching districts by combined team of Manipur Police and Central security forces on Friday, around 50 illegal bunkers were smashed during the past 24 hours. In the last 24 hours, five sophisticated arms, 74 pieces of various types of ammunition and five hand grenades were recovered from Imphal East district.

A total of 126 checkpoints were installed in different districts of Manipur, both in the hill and the valley areas, and police has detained 270 persons in connection with violations of laws in different districts.