10 injured in firing during Manipur clash, curfew imposed

Imphal, April 11 (IANS) At least 10 people, including three police commandos, were injured as a group of protesters fired indiscriminately and clashed with police on Monday in Imphal West district in Manipur, officials said. Indefinite curfew has been imposed over fears that the law and order situation might worsen.

The incident happened around 10 a.m. at Mayang Imphal Konchak in Imphal West district.

The district magistrate imposed indefinite curfew at Maynag Imphal Konchak and nearby areas with immediate effect.

A clash broke out between two groups of villagers, and nine houses and shops were burned down.

Police sources told IANS that they received information that the house of a man named Rajen of Mayang Imphal Konchak has caught fire.

However, people said the fire was a deliberate act by someone and started protesting.

Police and fire tenders were rushed to the site but the agitating crowd did not allow them to enter.

Witnesses said some people fired at police and the crowd, injuring 10 of them.

Three seriously injured people, including a police commando, were rushed to a private hospital in Imphal.

Police said they were investigating whether Rajen's house was set ablaze deliberately.

"The reasons for the clash between the two groups of villagers are being investigated. But the immediate task is to restore normalcy. Additional police forces from three other districts have been rushed to maintain law and order," a police official said.

Meanwhile, normal life was thrown out of gear in neighbouring Thoubal district following an 18-hour general strike called by people demanding the arrest of some police commandos who allegedly looted Rs.6 lakh from a shopkeeper in October 2015.

Shopkeeper Atao Rahman told IANS that on that day he had come to Imphal on a two-wheeler from Lilong in Thoubal district to buy some goods for his shop.

He alleged that some police commandos intercepted him on the Old Assembly Road in Imphal, assaulted him, looted the money and left him in the Mantri Pukhir area.

He said police accused him of being associated with an insurgent group.

Police have denied the charges.