Correspondent
Unidentified Gunmen Fatally Shoot Teenager in Manipur's Bishnupur District.
MANIPUR: In a tragic incident, a teenager was fatally shot by unidentified gunmen in the early hours of Friday in Bishnupur district, Manipur, according to local police. The gunmen opened fire indiscriminately in the Phoubakchao locality, and tragically, the teenager was struck by a bullet while attempting to seek cover.
As news of the shooting spread, angry locals, predominantly women, took to the streets in Moirang to express their outrage against the senseless act of violence. Authorities have reported that the gunfire erupted between two armed groups in Awang Leikei and Kangwai, near Phoubakchao, at around 1:30 am.
After a brief period of calm, intermittent firing resumed at 11:30 am, leaving residents on edge. Senior police officials have been dispatched to Kangwai to assess the situation and restore order.
Since the outbreak of ethnic violence on May 3, when a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was held in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, the state has witnessed more than 100 deaths and over 3,000 injuries. To curb the violence and restore normalcy, approximately 40,000 central security personnel, in addition to the Manipur Police, have been deployed.
The Meiteis, who comprise around 53 percent of Manipur's population and primarily reside in the Imphal Valley, are at the center of the ongoing tensions. The Tribal Nagas and Kukis make up another 40 percent of the population and reside in the hill districts.
Authorities are actively investigating the shooting incident in Bishnupur district, and efforts are underway to bring the perpetrators to justice. The loss of a young life is a tragic reminder of the urgent need to address and resolve the underlying issues fueling the ethnic violence in Manipur.