Fresh violence between armed groups in Manipur, school torched by fleeing gunmen

A gunfight took place between two armed groups in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district early Monday morning, followed by the torching of a primary school in the area.According to the police, the exchange of fire began at around 5 am in a village that hosts posts of the Manipur Rifles and displaced personnel of the India Reserve Battalion (IRB).Police said armed miscreants approached the village with an apparent intention to attack, prompting security personnel stationed there to retaliate.The exchange of fire continued for around 30 minutes. After the gunfight, the gunmen allegedly set a school on fire in the village, before retreating. No injuries were reported in the exchange of fire, police said. The school building was gutted in the blaze. The identity and affiliation of those behind the arson could not be ascertained immediately.Police are investigating the incident and assessing the circumstances surrounding the attack. The burning of the primary school has sparked concern over the impact of the continuing violence on education and civilian life in the conflict-affected district. The incident came just two days after two militants belonging to a Kuki-Zo outfit UKNA were killed, and as many were injured in a gunfight with a joint team of the Indian Army and Assam Rifles in Manipur's Churachandpur district.Acting on intelligence inputs, the security forces had launched an operation on the night of August 29, according to officials. The security personnel had established surveillance over a UKNA camp and commenced tactical closing-in at 5 am on September 2, they said.The UKNA cadres opened "indiscriminate firing" around 5.30 am, prompting the troops to retaliate with controlled fire, the officials added.- Ends(With inputs from PTI)Published On: Sep 7, 2026 14:48 IST