A joint team of central paramilitary forces and Manipur police destroyed two illegal temporary bunkers suspected to have been used by armed insurgents during a counter-militancy operation.

The bunkers were allegedly used by militants as a strategic location to launch surprise attacks against opponent factions. The structures were demolished during the operation in the Seijang general area and Mongbung village a few kilometres from the Jiribam district headquarters of Manipur, according to officials.

The team of security forces acted on a tip-off and reached the target area after which some militants reportedly fled from the scene. Apart from destroying the illegal structures in the three-hour operation, the team arrested an individual.

Notably, armed miscreants, positioned at a higher vantage point in Mongbung, have repeatedly launched gun attacks on lower areas.

Meanwhile, fresh reports of violence in Jiribam where suspected militants launched an attack at Mongbung Meitei village, the police said. Several rounds were fired from sophisticated weapons at around 7 pm on Tuesday leading to retaliatory firing from village volunteers in the region, the police mentioned, adding that no one was injured in the exchange.

Security forces were sent to the spot to control the situation with the firing coming to an end at around 8 pm, said an officer. The situation is under constant monitoring by security forces who are conducting operations, another official stated.

During search and area domination operations at Chanung and C Zoulen village in the Imphal East district, security forces seized a locally made single barrel, one SLR magazine, and live rounds of ammunition on Monday (September 16), according to a police statement.