Imphal: In a fresh incident of violence in Manipur, three Village Defence Force (VDF) volunteers were gunned down and five others shot in Khujuma Tabi village in Bishnupur district when militants attacked the village in early hours of Sunday.
Sources said the militants sneaked into the village with sophisticated weapons and started firing on them.
According to reports, five villagers were injured in the attack and taken to the nearby hospitals.
Meanwhile, security personnel have rushed to the areas and launched a combing operation to nab the militants.
“The VDF volunteers, who were guarding the village in view of the ongoing ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities, died on the spot in the attack as they were sleeping after guarding the village at night,” said an official.
On Saturday, Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey urged the people of all communities to help the government and the security forces to restore peace and normalcy.
“I from the bottom of my heart, further appeal to you all, especially mothers and sisters to restrain from blocking security forces on the roads as they are discharging their responsibilities for the safety of the people,” the governor said in a message.
Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh on Saturday said the people belonging to all 34 tribes in the state have to live together and remain careful that outsiders should not disturb the peace and demographic situation of the state.
Singh said that Manipur is a small state where all the 34 tribes including Meiteis, Kukis, Nagas and others have to live together.