“Thousands of people” on Friday tried to advance on a Manipur village in a Kuki-dominated district after learning that intruders, suspected to be the marching crowd’s fellow community members from the Meitei-majority valley, were locked in a firefight with security forces.

Some from within the “mob” gathered near the village opened fire on the security forces, who tried to control the crowd, following which several people, including an army officer, were injured, police said. A few among the marchers too were injured, the police added.

A police statement said two civilians were “reportedly killed” in the incident in Tengnoupal district of Manipur.

A police officer said that while one person died on the spot, another died in hospital after a “mob from the valley” descended on Kuki-majority Tengnoupal in the hills.

Manipur police said in a statement issued in state capital Imphal: “Firefight erupted today morning at Molnoi village near Pallel in Tengnoupal district of Manipur between security forces and some armed miscreants who attempted to resort to arson and violence in the village. Following this incident, crowds of thousands of people attempted to move towards Pallel. However, security forces jointly attempted to stop the mob to ensure peace and stability in Pallel, where the situation has been tense for a few days."

“Being blocked by security forces, some armed miscreants from within the mob fired... resulting in gunshot injuries to an army officer who was evacuated by helicopter to the military hospital. Three other police personnel were also injured during the crowd dispersal. In a calibrated response in self-defence and to control the unruly mob, security forces used minimum force to disperse the mob that led to injuries to a few persons who were part of the mob out of which two reportedly died,” the police statement added.

The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (Cocomi), a conglomerate of leading Meitei civil society organisations, identified one of the dead as a 47-year-old man from Kakching.

The police said an 85-year-old Kuki woman was rescued by civil society organisations and the Manipur police in Pallel.

“During the last 24 hours, the situation in the state was tense with sporadic incidents of firing, arson and congregation of protesters. Search operations were conducted by security forces in the fringe and vulnerable areas of Imphal West, Imphal East, Kangpokpi and Churachandpur districts and four arms, four (rounds of) ammunition and one explosive were recovered from Imphal East and Churachandpur districts,” the police statement said.

“The movement of 450 vehicles along NH37 with essential items has been ensured. Strict security measures are taken up in all vulnerable locations and security convoy is provided in sensitive stretches in order to ensure free and safe movement of the vehicles.”

The police appealed to the public not to believe in rumours and be aware of false videos. “Further, appeal is made to the public to return the looted arms, ammunition and explosives to the police or nearest security forces immediately.”

The warring Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities in Manipur accused each other of fomenting the trouble on Friday. The clashes that erupted on May 3 have left at least 179 dead and displaced over 67,000.

The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum, a conglomerate of recognised tribes in Churachandpur, said: “As India prepares to host the annual G20 summit in the capital, Meitei radicals have decided to steal the national headlines by renewing their attack on Kuki-Zo tribals in Manipur.”