One cop killed, 2 civilians abducted by militants in Manipur

Imphal: One policeman was killed and four others were injured on Thursday when suspected militants opened fire at them near Tera Khongfangbi in Bishnupur district, about 50 km south of Imphal, officials said.

The condition of one of the injured police personnel is critical, they said.

The incident took place a few km away from Torbung, where the recent violence in the state had first erupted.

Police have launched a combing operation to flush out the militants from the area, the officials said.

Meanwhile, two persons were allegedly abducted by suspected militants in Toribung, a police officer said.

The duo had gone to fetch foodgrains from their ransacked home when they were abducted. A search operation has been launched to trace them, he said.

The officials added that curfew has been further relaxed in all the 11 districts where it was clamped, by six hours from the earlier duration of five hours.

The curfew timings vary in these districts.

In another development, 100 trucks travelling from Dimapur to Imphal, carrying essential commodities, were stopped by mobs at different places in North Kangpokpi district, they said.

Congress calls for President's Rule

The Congress on Thursday alleged that the Manipur violence seemed "pre-planned" and demanded immediate imposition of President's Rule in the state to help restore peace and normalcy.

Congress spokesperson and the party's in-charge for Manipur, Bhakta Charan Das, also demanded compensation of Rs 20 lakh to the next of kin of those killed in the violence and Rs 5 lakh for people whose houses were destroyed.

Addressing a press conference here, he questioned why Union Home Minister Amit Shah has not visited the violence-hit northeastern state yet and why Prime Minister Narendra Modi has remained silent on the issue.

Violent clashes broke out in the northeastern state after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the 10 hill districts.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh had on Monday said that 60 people were killed, 231 injured and 1,700 houses, including religious places, burnt in the ethnic violence that has rocked the northeastern state for the past few days.