Imphal: At least nine persons have been killed and another 10 injured in a fresh violence that erupted in Aigejang village on the border area between Imphal East and Kangpokpi district on Tuesday night.
According to Imphal East police superintendent K Shivakanta Singh, the incident took place at around 10 to 10:30 pm when a gunfight ensued between security forces and suspected militants.
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All the nine persons were killed on the spot while 10 injured were brought to Imphal and undergoing treatment at Raj Medicity. The condition of one is said to be critical, he said.
When asked superintendent K Singh why all casualties were Meitei in Aigejang village which is a Kuki village, he said a FIR has been filed in regard to the incident. However he declined to disclose any further details while filing this report.
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All the nine dead bodies were brought by security forces at night and now kept at JNIMS morgue, said Dr Pabin Kumar, head of forensic department, Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS).
As per sources report, Aigejang is a Kuki village which falls under the Kangpokpi revenue district but comes under the jurisdiction of Imphal East.
All the nine bodies which were recovered from Aigejang village are reportedly of Meitei men and not the residents of the village.
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Meanwhile, following the reports of fresh violence, the Imphal West and Imphal East district administrations has shortened the curfew relaxation hours from 5 am to 9 am for the day. Earlier, the curfew relaxation was made for 15 hours from 6 am to 8 pm in Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal and Bishnupur district.
Curfew relaxation period was earlier shortened in Imphal as people started agitating against alleged damaging of vehicles by Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel. The administration shortened the curfew relaxation period in the twin capital districts of Imphal West and Imphal East by two hours. The curfew which was relaxed till 8 pm was shortened to 6 pm, according to the separate orders issued by the two district administrations.
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