Unidentified militants on Friday opened fire at a Meitei religious site in Imphal East district of Manipur. As per the officials, the firing was done from the adjoining hills. However, no casualties were reported in the incident. The incident took place around 9:30 am when a group of devotees, under heavy security cover, visited Kongba Maru, a sacred site for Meiteis, to offer prayers, they said.
The incident has occurred amid mass surrender of firearms by village volunteers in strife-torn Manipur.
7 rounds were fired
The officials shared the details of this incident and stated that a total of seven rounds were fired from adjoining hills but no person was injured in the incident. They further added that additional security forces have been sent to the spot. After the firing incident, agitated locals from nearby villages came out on the streets and blocked vehicular traffic to register their protest.
Kongba Maru had earlier witnessed vandalism of temple properties by miscreants allegedly from the adjoining hill areas of Kangpokpi district.
Governor extended the deadline to surrender the looted weapons
Earlier in the day, Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla extended the deadline for the surrender of looted and illegal firearms till 4 pm on March 6 following demands by people from both hill and valley areas for additional time, an official statement said.
Bhalla had on February 20 urged warring groups to voluntarily surrender weapons robbed from security forces and other illegally held firearms within seven days, the deadline of which ended on Thursday. During the seven-day period, more than 300 firearms were surrendered by the public, primarily in the valley districts.
More than 250 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups since May 2023. The Centre had imposed President's rule in the state on February 13 after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned. The state assembly, which has a tenure till 2027, has been put under suspended animation.
"Upon the expiry of the seven-day deadline for the voluntary surrender of arms, there have been requests from both the valley and hill areas to extend the period. I have considered these requests and decided to extend the deadline until 4 PM on March 6," the statement read.
(PTI inputs)