Manipur Police Constable Shoots Dead Senior After Verbal Spat

A Manipur Police constable fatally shot his senior colleague, a Sub-Inspector rank police officer, on Saturday following a verbal spat, officials said.

A police official said constable Bikramjit Singh allegedly opened fire at point-blank rage with his service rifle on Sub-Inspector Shah Jahan, who died on the spot. The two were said to have had an altercation earlier on Saturday.

The reason for the spat, which occurred in Manipur's violence-hit Jiribam district, is being investigated by the police. A police official said that the incident occurred at Mongbung village police post, an area currently under heightened security.

The accused constable was immediately arrested by the other policemen.

Ethnically-diverse Jiribam, which was largely untouched by ethnic violence in Imphal Valley and adjoining hills, erupted in violence after a 59-year-old man belonging to one community was killed allegedly by militants of another community in June this year. Thousands had to leave their homes and relocate to relief camps due to incidents of arson by both sides. Since then, the district has been on the edge.

More than 200 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo groups since May last year.