New Delhi: Agitated villagers in Sugnu in Kakching district of Manipur set abalze fire in an abandoned camp of the United Kuki Liberation Front (UKLF). The police said the UKLF millitants took refuge there following a recent peace accord with the government.

As per the information, the act was done in retaliation after the UKLF militants allegedly burned down nearly 100 abandoned houses on Saturday midnight in Serou, Kakching district. One of the houses belonged to Sugnu Congress MLA K Ranjit.

As per the media reports, the police has informed that the there is a near-constant gunfire at the spot for over past 2 days between the millitants and security forces.

The Kuki millitants got engaged in a gun fight with the state police, the India Reserve Battalion, the Border Security Force, and village volunteers in a joint operation at the Nazareth camp on Sunday. After which, the millitants vacated the place and flee.

After that, the villagers went down there to set fire at the camp, which was also used as a camp to train newly-recruited Kuki millitants.

As per media reports, there was a fierce exchange of gunfire in Phayeng in the Imphal West district, on Sunday. Meanwhile, Kuki militants set fire to a sawmill.

3-Member Panel formed to probe Manipur Violence 

The central government on Sunday (June 4) formed a three-member inquiry committee to look into the ongoing Manipur violence. The committee will be headed by former chief justice of the Gauhati high court Justice Ajai Lamba with retired bureaucrat Himanshu Shekhar Das and former intelligence officer Prabhakar Aloka.

As per the figure stated by the N Biren Singh-led state government, over 90 lives have been claimed in the violence, while hundreds were injured.

Tension prevailed in Manipur since May 3 after a series of attacks took place following a march carried out by “Tribal Solidarity March” against the demand of granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to Meitei community in the hill state.