One person was killed and three others injured in a gunfight between village volunteers of two warring communities in ethnic strife-torn Manipur's Kangpokpi district on Sunday, police said. Dozens of gunmen had attacked Koutruk in Imphal West district on Sunday morning from elevated hilltops of neighbouring Kangpokpi district prompting village volunteers deployed in the fringe village to retaliate, the police said.
Exchange of fire gradually spread to adjacent villages of Kadangband and Senjam Chirang, they said. Some of the bullets reportedly pieced walls of the homes of the villagers, he said, adding women, children and the elderly are being evacuated to safe areas nearby.
The officials said locally made mortar shells known as 'Pumpi' are also being fired on the village, creating panic among its residents. In retaliation, the village volunteers in Koutruk opened fire on the attackers. The security personnel are being rushed to the area to bring the situation under control.
Koutruk village has been witness to intense gunfights between village volunteers of the two warring communities since ethnic violence broke out on May 3 last year. It has been identified as one of the most vulnerable areas for gun attacks.
2 CRPF personnel killed in militant attack in Manipur
The development comes day after a militant attack in which two CRPF personnel were killed and two others injured. The militants attacked a camp of security forces in Manipur's Bishnupur district in the early hours of Saturday. They targeted an IRBn (India Reserve Battalion) camp at Naranseina in the Moirang Police Station area.
"The militants fired indiscriminately from hilltops, targeting the camp. It started around 12.30 am and continued till about 2.15 am. The militants also hurled bombs, one of which exploded in the outpost of CRPF's 128 battalion," a senior police officer said.
He also said the deceased were identified as sub-inspector N Sarkar, a native of Assam's Kokrajhar district, and head constable Arup Saini of Bankura district in West Bengal.
The injured were inspector Jadav Das and constable Aftab Das, he said, adding that they received splinter wounds.
"The two injured personnel were admitted to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal. They are out of danger," the officer said.
(With PTI inputs)
