Manipur security beefed up after Imphal East attack leaves three dead

Security forces across Manipur have intensified patrols and search operations after an attack in Imphal East district left three villagers dead and three others injured on Monday morning.

Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh chaired a high-level security meeting at the Cabinet Hall in Imphal to review state safety measures. The meeting brought together Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam, senior state administrative officials, and top commanders from the Indian Army, Assam Rifles, Central Reserve Police Force, and Border Security Force. Singh instructed security agencies to fortify vulnerable border areas and track down those responsible for the violence.

Attack on firewood gatherers in Imphal East

The incident occurred around 9:40 am near Khongban Sunurok village, close to the border between Imphal East and Kangpokpi districts. A group of 16 residents from nearby Nongshum and Uyumpok villages had entered the forest to collect firewood when armed miscreants hiding behind a woodpile opened fire at close range.

Three men died as a result of the shooting, while three others sustained injuries. Security forces immediately dispatched reinforcements to clear the area and assist the survivors.

Government support and public response

Following the attack, Chief Minister Singh visited Raj Medicity hospital in Imphal to meet the injured civilians and check on their treatment. He assured their families that the state government would bear all medical expenses.

Demonstrations broke out in Imphal shortly after news of the attack spread. A crowd brought the bodies of two victims in a vehicle outside the Chief Minister's official residence in Babupara. Security personnel subsequently managed the situation and transferred the bodies to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences for formalities.

Local organisations called for a temporary shutdown along a 35-kilometre section of National Highway 202, stretching from Lamlong Bazar to Sagolmang. State authorities and security agencies remain deployed in full strength to preserve peace, protect law-abiding citizens, and restore complete normalcy across the district.