Imphal: One person was killed after the security forces open-fired following a large number of youths, mostly armed Meitei village volunteers, attempting to enter the Manipur Police Training Academy (MTPC) at Pangei in Imphal East on Tuesday midnight.
As per the official, at around 11 pm a huge number of people who gathered at MPTC gate tried to barge into the police training center which houses a large number of firearms. Security forces that fired several rounds of tear gas in order to disperse the crowd had to open fire live rounds later to control the situation, it said.
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During the incident, one person identified as 24-year-old Okram Sanaton who sustained bullet injury succumbed to his injury in a hospital. The deceased body has been kept at Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Science (JNIMS) morgue.
A forensic team had rushed to the spot and was investigating the matter.
In another incident, a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the Indian Army who was caught in the gunbattle between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo armed groups received a bullet shot on Tuesday afternoon.
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According to police officials, a JCO of 20 Jat Regiment who was part of the security forces column to control the situation sustained a bullet injury to his right calf. The injured army officer was airlifted to a military hospital in Leimakhong and his condition is reported as stable.
Security forces are currently dominating the area to control the area, it said.
Meanwhile, after receiving the news of the exchange of fire at Thamnapokpi, security forces deployed in the area blocked the Imphal-Ukhrul road at Nongada area, preventing vehicular movement along the highway to control the situation. Meira Paibis from the area staged a protest against the blocking of the Imphal-Ukhrul road by the Indian Army.
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The intense gunfights on the outskirts of Imphal East and Kangpokpi on Tuesday also claimed two lives and injured four others.
The two deceased are from Imphal East and Kangpokpi districts, respectively.
Manipur Police said, in order to repel violent mobs including armed miscreants trying to storm MPTC, Pangei, security forces resorted to use of legal force.
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Manipur Police in connection with the incident of arms looting case of 5th IRB, Chingarel, Imphal East by unruly mob on the night of February 13, 2024 said it arrested 6 persons on Wednesday.