Manipur violence: Soldier injured amid ‘unprovoked’ gunfire in Imphal

 An Indian Army soldier was injured in an exchange of gunfire in Imphal West in the intervening night of Sunday and Monday.

According to army inputs, the incident took place when there was "unprovoked firing" by "armed miscreants" situated in Kanto Sabal in Imphal West towards Chinmang village.

"Army Columns resorted to controlled retaliatory fire keeping in view presence of villagers in the area. One Army soldier sustained a gun shot wound, evacuated to Military Hospital, Leimakhong and is stable," said a statement from the Spearcorps of the Indian Army.

With the induction of additional columns, operations continue to be underway.

Miscreants also set three houses on fire in Chinmang village, which was later doused by the Army. After a couple of hours of calm, unprovoked firing started again from Meitei Village of Kanto Sabal around 2.35 am and continued till 3 am, sources told PTI.

Clashes first broke out in Manipur on May 3 after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status. More than 100 people have lost their lives in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki community people in Manipur that broke out a month ago. A curfew was imposed in 11 districts and banned internet services in a bid to stop the spread of rumours.

Meiteis constitute about 53 percent of Manipur's population while tribals - Nagas and Kukis - constitute another 40 per cent of the population. While the former live in the Imphal valley, the latter reside in the hill districts.

At least 196 people from Manipur fled to Mizoram in the past two days, raising the total number of displaced people staying at shelters in the state to 11,699. As of Sunday, the Kolasib district hosts 4,250 displaced people, while 3,825 have taken refuge in Aizawl and 2,845 in Saitual, according to the Mizoram home department statement. The remaining 779 people took shelter in eight districts- Champhai, Lunglei, Mamit, Hnahthial, Serchhip, Siaha, Khawzawl and Lawngtlai, it said.