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Manipur: 1 CRPF personnel injured, 2 houses burnt by unknown armed individuals
The gunfight broke out after two houses belonging to separate communities were set ablaze by an unidentified group of people
One Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel sustained a bullet injury during a gunfight between security forces and unidentified armed individuals in the Taphou area of Manipur’s Senapati district on Monday, officials said.
The gunfight broke out after two houses belonging to separate communities were set ablaze by an unidentified group of people, triggering tension in the area. One of the two houses belonged to a Kuki family while the other belonged to the Poumai community (a sub-community of the Naga community).
The CRPF personnel sustained a bullet injury to his leg during the exchange of gunfire and was evacuated to a nearby hospital for treatment. Officials said additional security forces have been deployed in the area to control the situation. A group of villagers have evacuated as well.
The reason for the attack was not immediately known.
According to a video clip circulating on social media, following the incident, locals from the area blocked National Highway 2 (Imphal-Dimapur) at Senapati headquarters. Protestors were seen blocking the highway with burning tyres and debris.
The Taphou Kuki Village Authority condemned the burning of a Kuki house and described the incident as “highly deplorable, inhuman and unacceptable”.
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The village authority urged the district administration and police to take immediate and appropriate action to investigate the incident, identify those responsible and ensure that justice is delivered in accordance with the law.
The village authority has served a 24-hour deadline for the culprits involved in burning the Kuki house to claim responsibility and resolve the issue according to community law.
Tension between the Naga and Kuki communities has been simmering in the area since the twin ambush carried out at two different locations on May 13 -- one at Noney district and other at Kangpokpi district. Four persons including three church leaders and one Naga man was killed in the two incidents.
On the same day, 48 civilians belonging to Naga and Kuki-Zo were kidnapped by both the groups in retaliatory tension. Later, nearly after a month of captivity all the hostages were set free however. Six Naga men, however, were found dead near Kharam Vaiphei (Kuki village) in Kangpokpi district.
The case has been under investigation by National Investigating Agency (NIA) and as a part of the investigation four individuals including a couple have been arrested in the month of July on two separate occasions.
