Guwahati: Fresh incidents of firing were reported from Imphal East district in Manipur on Saturday, leaving a video journalist injured. The police stated that L Kabichandra, a journalist with a local TV channel, sustained a bullet injury to his leg while covering Friday night's firing incident at Thamnapokpi village.
The previous night's attack by unidentified gunmen at Thamnapokpi, near the Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district, had also injured an elderly woman. Reacting to the violence, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh condemned the attack, calling it "cowardly and unprovoked," and urged calm and unity among the public.
He assured that security personnel had been rushed to the affected areas and that the injured were undergoing treatment. Singh stressed the need for better coordination between central forces and state police in handling such situations.
In related developments, the Manipur government has been strengthening its police force. Recently, 1,946 police personnel were trained in Assam, with a special focus on recruits for the 10th and 11th India Reserve Battalions (IRB). These battalions, raised specifically for highway protection, will undergo further commando training before deployment.
Construction of headquarters for the 10th and 11th IRB at Nungba and Saivom is underway, with plans to equip police personnel with helmets and other gear to tackle mob violence effectively. Singh also urged parents and guardians to avoid exerting political pressure for the transfer or posting of new recruits, emphasising that they should serve according to the government's policies.
Read more: Manipur: Woman Killed After Militants Open Fire In Bishnupur
