- By Nidhi Giri
- Sun, 15 Dec 2024 07:34 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Manipur: A total of three people were killed in two separate incidents in Manipur on Saturday, including two migrant workers from Bihar, and an alleged militant worker who was gunned down during a police encounter. Two teenage construction workers from Bihar were shot dead by unidentified assailants in Kakching district on Saturday evening.
The victims were identified as Sunalal Kumar (18) and Dasharat Kumar (17) from Rajwahi village in Bihar’s Gopalganj district, were residing in Meitei-dominated Kakching when they were attacked near the panchayat office on Kakching-Wabagai Road at approximately 5:20 pm.The motive of the attack on the migrants was not clearly known and was unlikely to be fuelled by the ethnic strife between Meiteis and Kukis in the state, a conflict that has left the region significantly paralysed.
Earlier on Saturday, Manipur Police commandos killed a suspected militant and arrested six others during an exchange of gunfire at Salungpham Maning Leikai in Thoubal district. The deceased was identified as 16-year-old Laishram Priyam alias Loktak, and was reportedly a member of the proscribed PREPAK outfit.
Acting on intelligence about armed elements in the area, police conducted a combing operation near Salungpham High School around 9:30 am. During the ensuing firefight, Priyam sustained a bullet wound to his right abdomen and later succumbed to his injuries at Raj Medicity Hospital in Imphal, officials said.
The operation led to significant arms seizures, including three INSAS rifles, one SLR rifle, one .303 rifle, and one AMOGH rifle, along with multiple magazines and ammunition. Police also seized a four-wheeler.
The six arrested PREPAK cadres have been identified as Thokchom Momocha, 41; Sarangthem Anand Singh, 36; Ningthoujam Karna Singh, 27; Ningthoujam Manoranjan, 21; Thongam Phalguni, 27; and Moirangthem Johnson, 21.
Senior PREPAK militants have been increasingly active in the valley districts.