Manipur Unrest: Fresh Firing Reported From Churachandpur, Two Injured,

GUWAHATI: In absence of any proactive steps to disarm the civil society, the gun-battle between the two communities have become a routine affair in trouble-torn Manipur. A day after  the firing and arson of Moreh, a fresh incident of firing broke out in the Kangvai area of Churachandpur on Thursday in which at least two village defence volunteers were injured in the exchange of fire.

Confirming the incident, security sources said that the exchange of fire broke out at Kangvai in the periphery areas between the hills and the valley. Suspecting the involvement of armed rebel groups with civilians, security sources said that the shelling of mortars also took place.

Indicating that gunbattle had subsided in the afternoon after the intervention of security forces, security sources said that it was highly challenging for the security forces to intervene in such frequent exchange of fire as mobs of civilians come in between as walls to defend the miscreants.

Security sources said that division in state forces on the community line was making it more difficult for central forces to operate in the hills as well as the valley of Manipur.

It is significant  that Manipur has been on the boil for almost three months now since a violent clash broke out between two communities in the state on May 3.

About the initiatives of the government, security sources said that the central government is holding talks with Kuki and Meitei community leaders in an attempt to pacify the ongoing violence in the state.

On Wednesday, the central government's appointed IB official for the Northeast, Akshay Mishra, also held talks with the leaders of Kuki militant groups under the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement with the government.

The government representatives are also holding talks with the representatives of the Coordinating Committee of Manipur Integrity (COCOMI).

Meanwhile Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh in a statement suggested his Mizoram counterpart Zoramthanga not to interfere in the internal matters of another state. Recently, Mr Zoramthanga had joined a rally taken out in solidarity with the Kuki tribe in ethnic violence-hit Manipur.

Asserting the need for proactive initiative to bridge the widening gap between Meiti and Kuki communities, security sources said that demand for separate administration for Kuki is getting louder.