Manipur: 21-year-old youth killed in shootout between rival outfits

IMPHAL- In a fresh incident of violence, a 21-year-old youth was killed in an attack by armed cadres of a rival outfit along the inter-district border between Kangpokpi and Bishnupur on Saturday, the police said.

The police in Imphal said that a gunfight occurred in the Kuki tribal dominated Joupi village for several hours, killing Khupminthang Haokip on the spot.

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To protest the killing, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), an apex body of tribals in Manipur, called for an urgent shutdown in Churachandpur district and also to pay their homage to their “fallen martyr”.

The ITLF leaders said that militants of a rival outfit with sophisticated weapons launched an attack on Joupi village in Kangpokpi district, killing village volunteer Khupminthang Haokip who was guarding one of the bunkers set up by the villagers.

“Armed with single-barrel rifles, the courageous villagers fought valiantly and managed to push back the attackers. During the melee, some of the assailants reportedly went missing.

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“Upon realising that some of their members were missing, the attackers regrouped and are gathering in significant numbers near Ngarian in Bishnupur district,” an ITLF leader said.

Saturday’s incident occurred five days after the killing of two people, including a police constable, by an unidentified armed group in Kangpokpi district November 20.