Weapons recovered in Kuki-dominated Churachandpur district on Tuesday.
Guwahati: A day after nearly 100 displaced Meitei families were resettled in their original villages in Manipur's Bishnupur district, unidentified gunmen opened fire allegedly from the adjoining Churachandpur, a Kuki-dominated district, on Tuesday evening.
Security forces deployed along the periphery of Bishnupur and Churachandpur retaliated but there was no report of casualties or injuries.
The firing targeted the civilians at Tourbung area, which had witnessed large-scale violence in 2023. Hundreds of Meities had fled the villages in Tourbung area and were provided shelter. Officials in Bishnupur, a Meitei-dominated district, said, on Monday, nearly 400 of them were resettled in their original villages following improvement in law and order situation in the past few months.
"Probably the firing was done to prevent further resettlement of the displaced persons. Kukis are against resettlement till a political solution to the conflict is reached" a Kuki leader in Churachandpur, told DH. He said he was not aware of any casualty.
The firing took place hours after DGP Rajiv Singh visited Churachandpur (from Imphal) and took stock of the law and order situation. The security forces also recovered sophisticated weapons during a combing operation at Khaopijamg area in Churachandpur district.
The fresh firing took place two days after BJP MLAs belonging to both Meitei and Kuki communities met in New Delhi for restoration of peace.
Manipur has remained under President's Rule since February this year.