As intermittent shooting resumed on Friday night in the general vicinity of the Kangvai-Awang Lekhai area in the Bishnupur district, the situation in Manipur remained tense.
As columns of the Indian Army and Assam Rifles came to the approximate vicinity of Songdo, Additional Border Security Forces (BSF) were sent to help contain the situation.
The sources added that one police officer was hurt as a result of a firing incident in retaliation. Security officers were keeping an eye on the situation after it was claimed that there had been a shooting exchange in the YKPI Laikot neighbourhood.
In Imphal, Manipur, a mob of roughly 200 people gathered on Mahabali Road and set two cars on fire close to the famed Kangla Fort. The mob allegedly attempted to steal guns from the police as well, according to sources.
“The police had to resort to firing to disperse the mob and bring the situation under control, although no casualties were reported in the incident,” the sources said. No casualty has been reported.
Another mob of around 200 people had formed at Palace Compound in Imphal West, according to the sources, however by 12.30 am today, Army and Rapid Action Force men had managed to disperse the crowd.
The Manipur Police stated in a statement on Thursday that while there have been intermittent shooting incidents and some areas are tense, most districts in Manipur are generally calm.
“The situation is tense in some places with sporadic incidents of firing and congregation of unruly mob during the last 24 hours. However, the situation is normal in most districts,” said the statement.
According to the statement, search activities were carried out by the State Police and Central forces on Thursday throughout the state’s hill and valley districts’ vulnerable and outlying locations.
According to the official announcement, 24 bunkers were demolished in Manipur districts on July 6 by a joint team of the Manipur Police and the Central Security Forces (CSF).
Earlier, the top court expressed concern over the loss of lives and properties in Manipur during the violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities and stressed taking adequate measures to restore normalcy there.
On March 27, the High Court directed the State to consider the inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes list.
The violence in Manipur between the Hindu Meiteis and the tribal Kuki, who are Christians, erupted after a rally by the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM) on May 3.
Violence has gripped the entire State for now more than two months and the Central government had to deploy paramilitary forces to bring the situation under control.
