File photo

Imphal:

Two people were killed in a gunbattle between two armed groups in Manipur’s Imphal East district on Saturday, police said.

The victim has not yet been identified.

A police officer said the shootout took place near the border of Kangpokpi district.

More state and central forces have rushed to control the situation, he said.

The incident came a day after a gun battle broke out between armed village volunteers and unidentified gunmen in Tenupal district, leaving three people injured.

On May 3 last year, ethnic clashes broke out in the hills of Manipur, killing at least 219 people. At that time, a “tribal unity march” was organized in the hills to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

The Meitei people make up about 53% of the population of Manipur and live mainly in the Imphal Valley. The Nagas and Kukis tribes make up a little over 40% of the population and live in the mountainous areas.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)