HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, March 17: In a troubling resurgence of ethnic tensions, a violent confrontation ensued on Sunday afternoon in the sandmine region spanning the interdistricts of Imphal East and Kangpokpi in Manipur. The clash witnessed the destruction of three vehicles and exchanges of gunfire between rival factions.
Authorities confirmed that an excavator, a dipper, and a Gypsy intended for sand and pebble transportation at the riverbeds of Kaihao and Laikhoi villages, under the jurisdiction of Maphou Dam police station, were deliberately set ablaze. The perpetrators, armed with firearms, launched a coordinated attack on mine workers around 3:30 pm on Sunday.
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Responding swiftly to the escalating violence, volunteers from nearby Meitei villages engaged in a three-hour-long firefight, attempting to quell the clashes between the opposing groups. Although the sandmine workers managed to escape, two drivers of the torched vehicles remain missing.
The arrival of state security forces and police eventually subdued the gunfire, while efforts to locate the missing drivers are currently underway. This incident marks the second eruption of violence in the area, with a similar confrontation reported on February 6, 2024.
Additionally, reports emerged of gunfire at Thamnapokpi village in Bishnupur district, bordering Churachandpur district, on Sunday morning. Fortunately, no casualties were reported in this incident, according to police statements.
The recurrence of violence underscores the simmering tensions within Manipur’s interdistrict communities, emphasizing the urgent need for sustainable peace-building measures and heightened security interventions to prevent further bloodshed.
