Congress MP and leader of the Opposition in the Parliament, Rahul Gandhi on Monday visited a relief camp at Jiribam Higher Secondary School during his trip to Manipur, engaging with internally displaced people affected by ongoing ethnic violence in the region.
Earlier in the day, gunfire erupted in the Gularthal area just hours before Gandhi's scheduled visit.
Two individuals from the Kuki-Zo community have been arrested in connection with the incident, and weapons were seized from their possession, according to latest reports.
The exchange, lasting from 3:30 am to 7 am, reportedly targeted a bulletproof Casspir vehicle of the state police, as stated by Superintendent of Police Jiribam, Jiribam Pradip Singh, during a 10 am press briefing.
Multiple security personnel sustained injuries during the incident.
Local press sources indicated that the gunmen fired multiple rounds from Phaitol in the nearby Tamenglong hill district towards Gularthol. The incident prompted heightened security measures with additional personnel deployed to surrounding areas.
Singh credited effective coordination between police, CRPF, and Assam Rifles for neutralizing the attack, underscoring ongoing tensions in Jiribam following recent violent incidents.
Background of Jiribam violence
The district witnessed unrest following the death of Soibam Saratkumar Singh, a 59-year-old Meitei, allegedly killed by unidentified assailants two months ago.
This sparked protests and arson, leading to curfew imposition on June 8 in Jiribam and adjacent areas due to escalating clashes.
The BJP meanwhile criticised Gandhi's visit, with party IT cell chief Amit Malviya accusing him of engaging in "sick tragedy tourism" and attributing the violence in Manipur to Congress's historical governance.
"The ethnic conflict in Manipur is a legacy of the Congress party," Malviya stated on social media, citing decades of civilian, police, and military casualties during Congress's tenure in power.
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