Manipur violence: Moreh cop dies of bullet wound after cross firing with Kuki group

Reports from the Moreh Police Station indicate that the ambush was orchestrated with the intent to target the Superintendent of Special Commando. Since Tuesday morning, crossfire has been ongoing in the town.

A police officer, who was stationed in the strife-torn town of Moreh in Manipur, on Tuesday (October 31) lost his life due to gunshot wounds sustained during a crossfire with suspected Kuki protesters. The incident unfolded as armed individuals, believed to be Kuki protesters, opened fire at a group of police officers who were engaged in a game of football at a ground in Moreh. In response, the police team returned fire.

The Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Moreh, Chingtham Anand Kumar, was struck in the stomach during the exchange of gunfire and tragically passed away from his injuries. Fortunately, no other officers were harmed in the shooting.

Reports from the Moreh Police Station indicate that the ambush was orchestrated with the intent to target the Superintendent of Special Commando. Since Tuesday morning, crossfire has been ongoing in the town.

The state of Manipur has been grappling with ethnic clashes since May 3, pitting the majority Meitei community in the Imphal valley against the Kukis residing in the hills.

Out of the approximately 5,600 stolen firearms, nearly 1,500 have been successfully retrieved. Additionally, out of the roughly 6.5 lakh rounds of missing ammunition, approximately 20,000 rounds have been recovered by the authorities. It's worth noting that Chief Minister Biren Singh has issued multiple warnings of stern action against individuals found in possession of illegal weapons.

Remarkably, the majority of the looted firearms, constituting nearly 80% of the total, were originally sourced from police and state armouries situated in three specific districts: Imphal East, Churachandpur, and Bishnupur.