Imphal, 4 December (MTNews): Tragedy struck Tengnoupal district in Manipur on Monday afternoon as a new wave of violence claimed the lives of at least 13 individuals, according to Hindustan Times. Security forces received reports of a firefight between two militant groups at Leithu village near Saibol in Tengnoupal district around noon.
Security forces stationed approximately 10km away swiftly responded, discovering 13 bodies in Leithu village upon arrival. Notably, no weapons were found next to the deceased. An officer familiar with the situation suggested that the victims may not be from Leithu and could have engaged in a firefight after arriving from another location.
As of now, neither the police nor the security forces have confirmed the identities of the deceased. An officer stated that the police were on-site and would conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.
Manipur has been grappling with ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities since May 3, resulting in at least 182 casualties and displacing around 50,000 individuals. The recent escalation of violence occurred just four days after the signing of a peace agreement between the Centre, Manipur government, and the United National Liberation Force (UNLF).