Yet another unprecedented attack on security forces has been reported in the violence-stricken state of Manipur, leaving at least five security personnel injured.
According to reports, the incident took place on Tuesday (January 2) at Moreh when armed miscreants opened fire at them while they were on patrolling duty.
The injured lot personnel include Manipur police commandos and a border security force (BSF). Reports indicate that the attackers used a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) during the assault.
Fortunately, no casualty has been reported at the time of filing this report.
The injured personnel have been identified as Maibam Thoiba, Chabungbam Herojit, Kamei Gaohemlung, Mangsatabam Premkumar and Rabindra Singh. All of them were airlifted to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal for medical attention.
It is also learned that miscreants opened fire at the chopper as well which was designated to airlift the injured security personnel.
Earlier on January 1 (Monday), Manipur's Thoubal district witnessed a tragic episode, claiming the lives of four individuals with 14 others sustaining injuries.
The outbreak of violence prompted authorities across Thoubal, Imphal East, Imphal West, Kakching, and Bishnupur districts to revoke the curfew relaxation, reinstating prohibitory orders to quell potential unrest.
The incident transpired in Lilong Chingjao, where armed individuals, reportedly clad in police uniforms and wielding sophisticated weapons, fired upon people amid a dispute over coercive collections. Allegedly arriving in four vehicles, the attackers targeted a locality resident for extortion, leading to a confrontation. Subsequently, locals pursued the assailants, who opened fire while attempting to escape.
The casualties included three immediate fatalities, with another succumbing to injuries en route to the hospital. The wounded, many in critical condition, have been relocated to medical facilities.
The identities of the perpetrators remain undisclosed, and the situation escalated as enraged residents set fire to the attackers' vehicles.
