3 police personnel injured in gunfight with suspected Kuki militants in Manipur

Imphal: Three police personnel were injured in a gunfight with suspected Kuki militants in Manipur's Bishnupur district, officials said on Thursday.

The gunfight took place at Tangjeng under the Kumbi police station on Wednesday night, they said.

The injured police personnel have been admitted to an Imphal hospital, they added.

"Heavy exchange of fire has also been reported from Chanung in Imphal East district. We have not got any casualty report from there yet," a senior official told PTI.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said here that the government is committed to restore peace in Manipur and ensuring an early return of all internally displaced people back to their homes.

Meeting victims from both Meitei and Kuki communities in relief camps in the state, he assured them of security and said the government's focus is to ensure their safe return home.

Shah said, "We are committed to restoring peace in Manipur as early as possible and ensuring their (refugees) return to their homes." Ethnic clashes broke out in the state nearly a month ago after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

After a relative lull for over a fortnight, the state witnessed a sudden spurt in clashes and gunfight between militants and security forces on Sunday.

So far, over 80 people have been killed in the violence, according to officials.

The army and police forces are conducting state-wide search operations for hidden arms caches.

Surveillance by drones and deployment of security forces also continues, said officials.