A Manipur Police commando was injured in a severe gunfire exchange between suspected gunmen and security personnel in Moreh, Tengnoupal district, at about 3:50 p.m. on Saturday, according to officials.
As police trucks were moving from the border town of Moreh towards the Key Location Point (KLP), witnesses reported that the gunmen targeted them, injuring the commando.
An officer confirmed to news agency, PTI, “One commando sustained shrapnel injuries when they came under attack while crossing the M Chahnou village section of Imphal-Moreh road.”
Officials stated that the wounded commando is Ponkhalung of 5 IRB and that he is presently undergoing treatment at the 5 Assam Rifles camp.
Police said, “Unidentified gunmen fired shots and threw bombs at the commando team of Moreh at Chikim Veng, Moreh Ward No. 9 in Tengnoupal district. The incident occurred while Manipur police commandos were conducting routine reconnaissance in the area.”
Police said, “Initially, two bombs exploded, followed by 350 to 400 rounds of fire.”
News agency sources claimed that gunfire was still going on close to M Chahnou hamlet and the New Moreh entrance gate. Two houses in Moreh were also set on fire, sources added.
Earlier on the day, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh appealed to all sections of society to shun violence and engage in dialogue to restore peace in the northeastern state.
He denounced the murder of a village guard in Kadangband, Imphal West district, by unknown assailants, saying that bad forces were trying to disturb the tranquility.
Addressing a press conference at the CM’s secretariat, Singh said, “Let’s abandon violence, come to the negotiating table, and initiate a dialogue to restore normalcy.”
He said that security forces had started combing the area in an attempt to find the village guard’s killers and that investigations were still ongoing.
The chief minister gave the assurance that the government apparatus and civil society groups were pursuing peace in the valley and the hills.
Unknown persons assassinated a village guard named Jamesbond Ningombam in Kadangband around 3.30 a.m. Police stated the attack was carried out by suspected militants from a nearby hill.
Ningombam’s body was taken to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences for post-mortem examination.
Situated on the periphery of Imphal West district, Kadangband is bordered by Kangpokpi district, which has been plagued by persistent violence since the start of ethnic conflict on May 3.
(with PTI inputs)
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