Manipur: Gunmen kill 11, curfew imposed

Eleven people were killed by gunmen in separate incidents of firing in Manipur's border town of Moreh where an indefinite curfew has been imposed since Saturday evening, official sources said on Sunday.

Five persons belonging to a particular community were killed at different places at Moreh, about 120 km south-east of Imphal in Chandel district on Saturday morning by some unidentified gunmen, sources said.

Shortly after the incident, six labourers belonging to another community were taken out of their houses and shot dead by unidentified gunmen at different places in the border town, sources said.

As the tension between the two communities ran high, indefinite curfew was imposed on Saturday evening, sources said adding, that a strong police team headed by DGP Y Joykumar was camping there to prevent any untoward incident.

Saturday's incident was a follow-up of killing of a Meitei youth by Kuki militants of Kuki National Army some days ago, sources said.

Many civil society groups blame KNA for creating communal tension in the border town for the past some months.

Earlier reports had said four Kuki militants were killed by unidentified gunmen on Saturday.

International trade conducted through Moreh has also been suspended for an indefinite period, sources said.

The Myanmar-based KNA and some major insurgent outfits are active in the 'sensitive' border town, sources said. KNA is demanding an 'Independent Kukiland'.