A joint team of Manipur Police and Central forces launched a combing operation in Nungba and Kekru Naga areas of Manipur’s Noney district on Thursday, conducting identity checks on locals, a day after three insurgents were killed and two others injured in a gunfight between rival militant groups, officials said.
More than 500 personnel from the district police, CRPF, CoBRA and Assam Rifles began a cordon-and-search operation around 3.30 am, an official said, adding that the identities of people residing in the area were being verified.
A heavy exchange of fire broke out around 4 am on Wednesday at Taodaijang village in Khoupum area, involving cadres suspected to belong to different Naga militant outfits, including the Zeliangrong United Front (Jenchui) and its rivals, they said.
The bodies of the three men were recovered by locals.
ZUF (Jenchui) claimed that two of the deceased belonged to the outfit and identified them as M Thaimei and G Kamson.
The outfit alleged that the gunfight involved the NSCN (IM), ZUF (Kamson faction) and NSCN-K (Niki Sumi). The third deceased was identified as Aihung Khumba, a resident of Pungmon Chingchen village. His affiliation was not immediately known.
Following the incident, locals, led by women, went to the spot in an attempt to prevent further violence between the rival groups. They also used a public address system to appeal to the cadres to stop firing, officials said.
(With Inputs from PTI)
