Guwahati: In what might jeopardise the peace process in Manipur, fresh incidents of violence were reported from Koutruk area in Imphal West district late Wednesday night.
Koutruk is dominated by the Kuki tribe. Sources in Manipur Police said on Thursday that the forces were compelled to open fire in retaliation. No casualty was reported from either side, they added. Police suspect involvement of Kuki militants behind the firing.
The incidents of violence took place hours after the first ever round of talk was held between the Meitei, Kuki-Zo and Naga legislators in Delhi with the representatives of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Although the MHA wanted to hold a joint meeting with the Manipur legislators representing the three communities - the Meitei, the Kuki-Zo and the Nagas - the Kuki-Zo MLAs held a separate meeting with the MHA representatives. The Kuki-Zo MLAs later told media that they have raised the issue of separate administration on the lines of Union Territory with legislature as precondition for any talks.
Meanwhile, a senior police official in the state said that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has already started the ground investigation regarding the drone bombing that hit Koutruk village last month.
The northeastern state of Manipur has been on the boil since May last year due to a clash between the majority Meitei and Kuki community, which has led to the killing of over 220 civilians so far and displaced over 65000 people from both the communities.
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