Gunfight breaks out between rival village volunteer factions in Manipur

Imphal, April 23 (IANS) A heavy exchange of fire broke out between the village volunteers of two rival communities at Awang Sekmai and its neighbouring villages in Manipur’s Imphal West district on Monday evening, the police said.

A police officer said that no casualties were reported so far in the incident, in which the rival factions reportedly used sophisticated firearms.

The panic-stricken villagers fled to safer places with some taking shelter in a local community hall, the officer added.

The security forces led by senior police officers have rushed to the spot to bring the situation under control.

In a separate development, over 190 Manipur police personnel staged a demonstration in Imphal on Wednesday against their posting in the trouble-torn areas of the state for the second phase of Lok Sabha elections on Friday. The agitating cops, who belong to the Meitei community, feel that it would be risky for them to perform their duties in the tribal-dominated hilly areas of the state.

They urged the authorities concerned to post them for election duty at some other place.

Manipur has two Lok Sabha seats -- Inner Manipur and Outer Manipur, which is reserved for the tribals.

Polling was held in Inner Manipur in the first phase on April 19 along with 15 of the 28 Assembly segments under the Outer Manipur (ST) parliamentary constituency.

Voting will be held in the remaining 13 Assembly segments under the Outer Manipur seat in the second phase on Friday.

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