Violence struck Khoijumantabi village in Manipur’s Bishnupur district on Friday, resulting in the loss of three lives.

The three victims, known as “village volunteers,” were stationed in a makeshift bunker to guard the area when they were caught in an exchange of gunfire with unidentified gunmen.

Five others sustained injuries during the shootout, with a couple of them being in serious condition and subsequently transferred to a hospital in Imphal for treatment, the police said.

Meanwhile, the United Peoples’ Front (UPF) and Kuki National Organisation (KNO), two umbrella organisations representing the Kuki community, have decided to withdraw roadblocks on National Highway 2 in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district. This decision comes following an appeal made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

In a joint statement, the two Kuki organisations announced the immediate lifting of the highway blockade, citing the Home Minister’s expressed “deep concern to restore peace and harmony” in the State.

Manipur is served by two national highways, NH-2 (Imphal-Dimapur) and NH-37 (Imphal-Jiribam). The Kuki organisations had blocked NH-2 since the outbreak of violence in May.

Manipur has witnessed a series of ethnic clashes triggered by a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ held on May 3, protesting the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Following the violence, curfew measures were enforced in eight districts of Manipur, and mobile internet services were suspended throughout the northeastern state for several days. The conflicts in Manipur were preceded by tensions surrounding the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land, which led to a series of smaller protests.