Militant, 3 village guards killed in Manipur gunfight

Imphal, August 11

A militant belonging to the United Kuki Liberation Front (UKLF) and three village volunteers of the same community were killed in a fratricidal shootout in Manipur’s Tengnoupal district, the police said.

The incident took place in the Molnom area on Friday. In retaliation to the killings, village volunteers set ablaze the residence of UKLF self-styled chairman SS Haokip. Control over levy in the Pallel area is suspected to be behind the gunfight, officials said.

In another incident, a former MLA’s wife was killed in a bomb blast in Kangpokpi district, officials said, adding the blast was triggered at a house adjacent to that of former Saikul MLA Yamthong Haokip, who belongs to the Kuki community, on Saturday evening. Sapam Charubala, the second wife of Haokip, was injured in the blast, but later succumbed to her injuries. Haokip was also in his house, but escaped unhurt. — PTI