Vehicles damaged in the firing by an armed group at the house of a police officer in Imphal
A fierce gunbattle broke out between the security guards of a senior police officer and an armed group in Manipur's capital Imphal today.
The gunfight happened outside the house of Additional Superintendent of Police (Operations) M Amit Singh in Imphal West's Wankhei neighbourhood, the police said.
The armed group damaged Mr Singh's house and a clinic, the police said. The clinic belongs to Mr Singh's family, whose seven members are doctors.
At least 20-30 armed people forcibly opened the gate and opened fire, sources said.
The police officer's father said Mr Singh was not at home when the attack happened today evening.
Visuals of the gunfight shared on social media show nearby residents running for cover in the dark amid the loud crack of automatic gunfire.
The army, Assam Rifles, and state police personnel have taken control of the area, sources said, adding they are searching for the armed group.
Today's incident comes amid the ethnic violence and tension in the northeast state, where armed groups of both the hill-majority Kuki-Zo tribes and the valley-majority Meiteis are engaged in battles to control areas near the foothills for the past nine months.
Over 200 have died and thousands have been internally displaced in the Manipur violence that began in May 2023.