India
A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy came under fire from unidentified armed men while patrolling National Highway-2 in Manipur’s Imphal West district on Thursday evening, triggering a security response in the area. No casualties were reported in the attack, police said.
The incident took place at around 6.20 pm at Khonghampat Laikol Leikai, where personnel from the 152 Battalion of the CRPF were conducting a patrol between Khonghampat and Pheidinga along the highway.
According to police, the attackers were travelling in a four-wheeler when they opened fire towards the security personnel. Several rounds were fired before the assailants quickly fled from the area, heading northwards along NH-2 in the direction of Sekmai village.
Security forces later recovered around eight empty ammunition cases believed to be from AK-47 rifles from the surrounding area. The recovery has added to the indications that the attackers were heavily armed, although officials have not yet established the identity or affiliation of those involved.
Authorities have so far not attributed the attack to any particular insurgent or armed group. Police said investigations are underway to identify the attackers and determine the circumstances surrounding the firing.
Soon after the incident, teams from the Imphal West district police reached the location along with personnel from Sekmai police station. Security measures were stepped up in the area as officials began examining the scene and collecting evidence.
A case has been registered at the concerned police station, while further investigation is expected to focus on identifying the vehicle used by the attackers, tracing their escape route and determining the source of the weapons and ammunition.
The firing comes against the backdrop of the prolonged ethnic conflict that has continued to affect Manipur since May 2023. The violence initially erupted between the Meitei and Kuki communities but subsequently involved several other communities across the state.
The conflict has left at least 260 people dead and displaced around 60,000, according to the report. The Meitei community, which is predominantly Hindu, largely inhabits the Imphal Valley, while the predominantly Christian Kuki-Zo communities are concentrated in the surrounding hill districts.
The prolonged unrest has also resulted in the effective separation of communities, with Meitei and Kuki-Zo populations largely remaining within areas dominated by their respective groups. While the Manipur government has maintained that there are no formal buffer zones dividing the communities, authorities have identified several areas as particularly sensitive.
The latest attack on a CRPF convoy underscores the continuing security challenges facing the state despite political and administrative efforts to restore stability.
A new government was formed in Manipur in February, nearly a year after President’s Rule was imposed in the state. The government includes representatives from the three major communities as part of an effort to maintain ethnic balance and support a broader return to normalcy.
However, Thursday’s firing on a security convoy highlights the fragile security environment that persists in parts of Manipur. With the attackers still unidentified, security agencies are expected to intensify efforts to establish who was behind the incident and whether the attack was linked to any organised armed group.
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