Four killed in shoot-out between militants and village volunteers in Manipur

Militant belonging to the United Kuki Liberation Front and three village volunteers of the same community killed in the gunfight

Imphal: Four armed men were killed in a fratricidal shoot-out between militants and village volunteers of the same community in Manipur‘s Tengnoupal district, police said.

A militant belonging to the United Kuki Liberation Front (UKLF) and three village volunteers of the same community were killed in the gunfight in Molnom area on Friday. In retaliation to the killings, village volunteers set ablaze the residence of UKLF self-styled chairman S S Haokip.

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Control over levy in Pallel area is suspected to be behind the gunfight, officials said. Security forces conducted search operations but no arrests have been made so far, they said, adding the situation is under control.

More than 200 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kukis in Manipur since May last year.