Heavy exchange of fire took place between security forces and armed miscreants in the Tengnoupal district of Manipur in the early hours of Friday. The firing started around 6 am in Pallel town and has been continuing intermittently, according to PTI. No casualties have been reported yet.

Groups of Meitei women, known as Meira Paibis, blocked roads and stopped security forces from moving out of their camps to handle the situation.

Tension was palpable in the area and security forces have fired tear gas shells to bring the situation under control, officials told PTI.

The violence in Tengnoupal comes a day after around 150 people were injured in Bishnupur district as security forces fired several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse thousands of protestors trying to remove Army barricades.

The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity, the most influential of Meitei civil society groups, had asked residents to push back Army barricades at Phougakchao Ikhai towards Kuki-Zomi dominated Churachandpur. This will enable Meiteis, who have been displaced in the ethnic violence that started on May 3, to return to their homes, the group had said.

At the call of COCOMI, around 10,000 over 10,000 protestors had assembled in Phougakchao Ikhai and Kwakta towns, security officials said.