Unknown armed miscreants in a four-wheeler opened fire at a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy patrolling along National Highway-2 in Manipur’s Imphal West district on Thursday evening, with no casualties reported, police said.
Police said the incident occurred at around 6.20pm at Khonghampat Laikol Leikai, Imphal West, when the 152 Battalion CRPF convoy was patrolling on foot between Khonghampat and Pheidinga along the highway. Around eight empty AK-47 ammunition cases were recovered from the surrounding area. The state’s Meitei and the Kuki-Zo communities shut each other out from the areas they dominate since ethnic clashes began in May 2023 and left at least 260 people dead and displaced 60,000.
Officials have yet to confirm which group was involved in the attack. Following the incident, teams of Imphal West district police went to the spot along with Sekmai police personnel, and a case was registered at the concerned police station. The ethnic clashes in Manipur first began between the Meitei and Kuki communities before involving almost every community. The Meiteis, mostly Hindu, live largely in the Imphal valley. The Kukis, predominantly Christian, reside in the hills. The state government has maintained that there are no buffer zones dividing communities in the state, but it has identified certain sensitive areas. A new government was formed in February, nearly a year after the imposition of the President’s Rule. It includes representatives from all three major communities as part of an attempt to maintain ethnic balance.
Police said the assailants, after firing several rounds towards the security forces, fled immediately towards the northern side along the highway towards Sekmai village.
