Five killed in fresh violence in Manipur's Jiribam day after rocket attack in Bishnupur district

Reports said, in the first case,militants barged into the house of one person who lived alone at an isolated location around 5 km from the district  headquarters and shot him dead in his sleep.

After the killing, a heavy exchange of fire took place between people of the warring communities in the hills around 7 km from the district administration headquarters, leading to the deaths of four armed persons, including three hills-based militants,a senior officer said.

Earlier this week, fresh arson took place in Jiribam district after suspected 'village volunteers' burnt down an abandoned three-room house of a retired police officer at Jakuradhor in Borobekra police station area.

The district witnessed fresh violence despite representatives of the Meitei and Hmar communities reaching an agreement to restore normalcy and "prevent incidents of arson and firing" in a meeting held at a CRPF facility in adjoining Assam's Cachar on August 1.

In the meeting moderated by the Jiribam district administration, Assam Rifles and CRPF personnel, and representatives of Hmar, Meitei, Thadou, Paite and Mizo communities of Jiribam district were also present.

The agreement was, however, denounced by several Hmar tribal bodies based outside Jiribam district saying they did not have any knowledge about it.

Meanwhile, security forces conducted operations in Mualsang and Laika Mualsau villages in Churachandpur district on Friday and destroyed three bunkers of militants.