Imphal: Renewed violence erupted in the western Jiribam district of Manipur sharing the border with Assam with government forces engaged in gunfights against the armed miscreants who burnt down yet another police outpost on Wednesday night, the police and fire service sources said on Thursday.
The incident happened when a team from the Jiribam police station and firefighters from the Jiribam district headquarters rushed to Leingangpokpi and surrounding strategic locations of Gularthon villages, the inter-districts of Jiribam and Tamenglong of Manipur state.
The joint team rushed to the locations in response to a report that some armed miscreants set on fire a police outpost at around 10 pm on Wednesday.
Upon reaching the spot, the armed men waylaid the government forces firing from Phaiton hill ranges where an Assam Rifles post was also deployed there.
In the exchange of gunfire, one police vehicle allotted to Inspector Mutum Anil, and a fire tender got partly damaged when the bullet hit the vehicles.
The intermittent exchange of gunfire continued till 1 am on Thursday, the report said.
Meanwhile, the Assam Rifles, in collaboration with the State Police and CAPFs, organized a Joint Massive show of force across the Jiribam District.
More than 200 security personnel participated wherein the message of peaceful coexistence, confidence-building measures, maintaining law and order, and discouraging any support to inimical agents was spread.
Jiribam, a beacon of Peace since May 3, 2023, for other districts of Manipur, felt ripples of violence on June 6, 2024, when a few people with vested interests, fueled the death incident of a local by giving it an ethnic angle.
In response to escalating tensions, additional security forces were rushed to Jiribam and later requisitioned to restore law and order.
Additionally, the miscreants burnt down four government offices including three police outposts, and around 80 houses since June 6 in this district.
However, government officials said that all have been working in synergy towards one common aim, re-establishing Jiribam as a Beacon of Hope and Peace.