Kangpokpi: A fierce gun-battle between combined security forces and suspected Kuki militants, lasting around seven hours, injured at least four people, including two jawan of the 44th Assam Rifles near Olympian Park in Manipur today. It is also suspected that there may be casualties among the militants.
Correction on this news | Correction on June 22 news report: No Kuki militants involved in N Boljeng village gunfight
The gunfight incident took place near N Boljang village in Kangpokpi District and Imphal West District’s Sangaithel and Tairenpokpi villages.
SpearCorps.IndianArmy took to twitter, “𝙐𝙣𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙄𝙢𝙥𝙝𝙖𝙡 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁 Armed miscreants resorted to unprovoked firing in N Boljang, Imphal West Distt in the morning hours of 22 June. Calibrated response by own troops to avoid any collateral damage. Two soldiers sustained minor injuries- both stable. 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗔𝗦 𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗠𝗔𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗚𝗨𝗡 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵. Additional columns inducted and operations are in progress.”
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According to sources, heavily armed suspected Kuki militants from N Boljang village started attacking Sangaithel and Tairenpokpi Meitei villages in the wee hours on Tuesday. Upon which a combined team of Imphal West District Police, Gorkha Rifles and Assam Riffles rushed to the area and counter attacked the militants. The gun-battle reportedly took place from around 4 am and lasted till 11 am today.
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The Assam Rifles jawans who sustained minor injuries were rushed to 9th Sector Assam Rifles at Keithelmanbi.
Two Meetei village volunteers also sustained bullet injuries, one on the stomach and another on the leg. They were taken to RIMS Hospital. Personnel from Gorkha Rifles and State forces are being deployed in Sangaithel and Tairenpokpi areas and Assam Rifles personnel at N Boljang village to prevent any further escalation of violence.
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