GUWAHATI: A gunbattle between security forces and armed miscreants was reported from restive Manipur on Friday afternoon.
The incident occurred in a foothill area between Imphal East and Kangpokpi districts. It was not immediately known if there were any casualties.
Army authorities said the miscreants sneaked into an area towards the hillside from Yaingangpokpi and fired from automatic weapons targeting Urangpat and Gwaltabi villages.
“Security forces columns, deployed in these vacant villages, responded in a calibrated manner to avoid any collateral damage,” the army’s Spear Corps said.
It added that a large group of women, which was part of a mob, prevented the movement of additional columns to the area.
The incident comes a day after two soldiers were injured when unknown gunmen fired at them at North Boljang in Imphal West district on Thursday.
Meanwhile, a group of prominent citizens of Assam appealed to Meiteis and Kukis – the two communities caught in the conflict in Manipur – to immediately shun violence and maintain peace.
“We are greatly disturbed that our neighbouring state Manipur is in turmoil…There is an atmosphere of overwhelming fear, despair and uncertainty. The state has been reduced to a level of statelessness. People are suffering from a deep sense of insecurity,” the Axom Nagarik Samaj representing the personalities said in a statement.
The Samaj said violence cannot help resolve the problem at hand but will make it worse and bring more misery and hardships to the people of both communities.
It appealed to Manipur and central governments to try and create an atmosphere conducive to building peace.
“We are also bewildered that the honourable Prime Minister of India hasn’t uttered a word yet about the situation in Manipur or appealed for peace! He should intervene and help bring peace and normality at the earliest,” the Samaj added.