GUWAHATI: One person was killed while three others were injured during a gunbattle in Manipur on Sunday, even as the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) vowed punishment for the perpetrators of Friday night’s deadly attack on its camp in Bishnupur district.
The gunfight broke out in the wee hours of Sunday between two groups of village volunteers from the warring communities. It occurred in the Kuki-majority Kangpokpi district.
The Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) identified the deceased as Lammang Kipgen (44), a Kuki-Zo tribal. The details about the injured persons were not available.
In a statement, the KSO said the deceased, who was a father of five children, had "volunteered to defend one of the most volatile frontlines."
"The enemy unleashed incessant attacks in the Leimakhong area, raining bullets on Lammang Kipgen and his village volunteer friends. At around 2:30 am, Lammang got hit by bullets," the organisation said.
After the killing, the Committee on Tribal Unity called for a 12-hour “total shutdown” in the entire Sadar Hills Kangpokpi, protesting the "unprovoked attack."
The incident comes on the heels of the attack on the CRPF camp. Sub-inspector Nizamuddin Sarkar from Assam and head constable Arup Saini from West Bengal were killed in the incident. Two jawans were also injured.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma condemned the "dastardly attack" and expressed condolences to the bereaved families.
The Manipur police had suspected the hand of "Kuki militants and their supporters" in the attack.
CRPF Inspector General Akhilesh Prasad Singh said, “It was a very unfortunate incident. We will find out the perpetrators and bring them to justice very soon."
According to the last official count, the ethnic violence, which broke out on May 3 last year, left 219 people dead and over 60,000 others displaced.