Amid mass surrender of firearms, militants open fire at Meitei religious site in Imphal East, none injured

Imphal: Amid mass surrender of firearms by village volunteers in strife-torn Manipur, unidentified militants on Friday opened fire at a Meitei religious site in Imphal East district from adjoining hills, officials said.

However, no casualties were reported in the incident.

The incident took place around 9.30 am when a group of devotees, under heavy security cover, visited Kongba Maru, a sacred site for Meiteis, to offer prayers, they said.

A total of seven rounds were fired from adjoining hills but no person was injured in the incident, the officials said, adding additional security forces have been sent to the spot.

After the firing incident, irate locals from nearby villages came out on the streets and blocked vehicular traffic to register their protest.

Kongba Maru had earlier witnessed vandalism of temple properties by miscreants allegedly from the adjoining hill areas of Kangpokpi district.

Earlier in the day, Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla extended the deadline for the surrender of looted and illegal firearms till 4 pm on March 6 following demands by people from both hill and valley areas for additional time, an official statement said.

Bhalla had on February 20 urged warring groups to voluntarily surrender weapons robbed from security forces and other illegally held firearms within seven days, the deadline of which ended on Thursday.

During the seven-day period, more than 300 firearms were surrendered by the public, primarily in the valley districts.

More than 250 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups since May 2023.

The Centre had imposed President's rule in the state on February 13 after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned. The state assembly, which has a tenure till 2027, has been put under suspended animation.