Fresh gunfight erupts in Manipur’s Jiribam district

A fresh gunfire erupted in Manipur’s border district of Jiribam on Saturday, days after peace talks by legislators from Meitei, Kuki-Zo-Hmar, and Naga communities to restore peace in the strife-torn state were initiated in Delhi.
Police said the gunfight broke out around 5.30am after suspected Kuki militants launched an attack on the Borobekera police station. Borobekera is located about 30 km from Jiribam’s headquarters.
The attack involved the use of sophisticated firearms and bombs.
The Jiribam district police indicated that three Meitei houses were burned down by suspected Kuki militants. The houses were also partially damaged by explosives.
The exchange of fire continued until 7am. The combined security forces are still monitoring the situation to prevent further escalation, and an investigation is underway to identify the attackers.
“Sporadic firings are happening in some areas, including in Jiribam district. With the efforts of the security forces, the situation has been brought under control,” Manipur director general of police (DGP), Rajiv Singh, told the media on the sidelines of the 133rd Manipur Police Raising Day observation in Imphal.
He added that additional security forces have been deployed to prevent further escalation of violence.
The DGP said the best solution to the ongoing crisis would be a “peaceful dialogue” between both communities.
“To stop the sporadic incidents of arson and firing in some parts of Manipur, the state police and other forces have been put on high alert to prevent any further escalation. I request all communities to come forward with constructive suggestions, as the only solution can be achieved through peaceful dialogue.”
He acknowledged that it is a challenging time, but emphasised that the Manipur Police, with cooperation from the public, civil society organisations (CSOs), and other security forces, are addressing the situation as effectively as possible.
He also rejected allegations that police are using excessive force. “The police are civilian-friendly forces and are acting according to the situation to prevent further escalation. If the police had used excessive force, many innocent civilians could have been harmed while controlling the mobs,” he said.