Manipur: Gunfight Breaks Out in Imphal West

A gunfight broke out between two groups in Manipur's Imphal West district on Monday, officials said.

The incident happened near Shantipur village, they said.

There were no reports of any casualty, officials said.

Security forces were deployed in the area to tackle the situation, they added.

Clashes first broke out in the state after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. So far, more than 100 have died and several hundred injured, besides thousands taking shelter in relief camps.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribal Nagas and Kukis constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.