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Gunbattle in Kangpokpi-Imphal border amid deployment of trained IRB personnel
Imphal: Armed assailants fired at a Meitei village in Kangpokpi, targeting security ahead of new IRB personnel's arrival; no casualties reported.
Imphal: Armed assailants opened fire on Thursday night, allegedly targeting a Meitei village in the adjoining areas of Kangpokpi and Imphal West districts. No casualties among the security forces were reported, said an officer on Friday.
Police suspect that the assailants were attempting to threaten the security forces ahead of the arrival of newly trained Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) personnel from Assam to Manipur.
“Around 7.10 pm on Thursday, armed miscreants from Saheibung and L. Jagnomphai in Kangpokpi district, bordering Imphal West, launched gunfire towards Tairenpokpi village in Imphal West, which is a Meitei village. The assailants used automatic guns and followed up with some bombs,” the police officer said.
A 2,200 newly recruited personnel of the 10th and 11th battalions of the IRB, who were undergoing training at the Police Training College in Dergaon, Assam, were set to depart for Manipur December 24.
“The newly trained IRB personnel are scheduled to travel to Manipur via a land route along NH-37 (Imphal-Silchar via Jiribam),” the officer added.
Security forces stationed in the area retaliated, leading to an exchange of fire.
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The security forces reassured that the villagers were safe, and no displacement occurred following the incident, the officer confirmed.
The police also confirmed that no casualties among the security forces were reported.
