Two Apprehended In Gunfight Ahead Of Rahul Gandhi's Manipur Visit

A group of armed militants attacked police at Phaiton village in Tamenglong district, Manipur, on Monday. This incident occurred just hours before Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's visit to the violence-hit state.

According to Jiribam police, the attack might not be connected to Rahul Gandhi's visit. The police received information around 3 am that a police outpost in Phaiton village had been set on fire by unknown miscreants. District police and a fire tender team rushed to the spot.

Exchange of Fire

Upon arrival, armed miscreants stationed at Phaiton village opened fire on the forces. The forces retaliated from inside their Casspir vehicle. The militants used lathode bombs against the forces, leading to an exchange of fire that lasted several minutes.

A combined team of Assam Rifles (AR) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) also arrived at the scene and conducted a search operation in the Phaiton hills area. By around 5 am, the firing ceased, and two suspects were apprehended along with some weapons.

Aftermath of the Incident

The two apprehended individuals were handed over to Tamenglong district police for further verification. No casualties were reported during the incident; however, the front mirror of the fire tender was damaged.

Phaiton village is located in Tamenglong district and borders Jiribam district's Gularthol village, which is about 6-7 kilometres from Jiribam police station. The violence in Manipur has been ongoing since May 3 last year, resulting in over 200 deaths and displacing more than 60,000 people.

Recent Violence

The region had experienced relative calm for about 2-3 months until violence reignited after a 59-year-old man was found killed in Jiribam district on June 6. Recently, unknown miscreants set ablaze a police outpost established at Phaiton village.

The Jiribam police reiterated that this recent attack might not be related to Rahul Gandhi's visit to the district. Despite no casualties being reported during this incident, it highlights ongoing tensions and instability in Manipur.

The combined efforts of local police and central forces underscore the challenges faced in maintaining peace and security in this volatile region.