New Delhi: Demkhogin Khongsai, a resident of Kamu Saichang village in Manipur’s Saikul area, was killed at around 11:30 am on Tuesday (February 13), at Satang Kuki-Khopibung. According to accounts from locals in the Saikul area, gunfire has been heard now for three consecutive days, exacerbating an already difficult situation compounded by a four-day-long electricity outage. This power shortage mirrors a similar predicament faced earlier by Churachandpur district.In a separate event on the same day, Sagolsem Loya, a 25-year-old from Imphal East district, sustained critical injuries during firing in Pukhao Santipur. Despite efforts to save him, Loya succumbed to his wounds at Raj Medicity hospital. The tense atmosphere extends beyond Saikul, encompassing Khamenlok and various border towns throughout Manipur.Sources told The Wire that the casualty count may rise, with numerous individuals currently receiving treatment for injuries sustained in the conflict. Six individuals, primarily from Khamenlok, have already been admitted to hospitals in Imphal.Manipur has been facing ethnic violence and intense social divisions since May 3 last year.Manipur Police issued a statement on X saying that “armed miscreants” initiated gunfire in the general vicinity of Khamenlok Ridge, situated in Imphal East district, spanning Saibol Heights, Gwaltabi and Semol. “On receipt of information, Security Forces moved in a coordinated manner to control the situation,” the statement said. During the operation, a junior commissioned officer of the Indian Army sustained a gunshot wound to his right calf at approximately 12:50 pm. The injured officer was evacuated via helicopter to the Military Hospital in Leimakhong Military Station, where his condition remains stable. “Security forces are currently dominating the area to control the situation,” the statement concluded.Union home minister Amit Shah’s announcement that India’s Free Movement Regime (FMR) with Myanmar will be discontinued on February 6 has added a layer of complexity to the region’s dynamics. Shah’s declaration regarding the fencing of the India-Myanmar border has sparked mixed reactions. While it addresses a longstanding demand of Manipur’s majority Meitei community, it has left the Kuki community disheartened. Sharing ethnic ties with communities across the border in Myanmar, the Kuki community views the removal of the FMR as detrimental to their interests.Note: An earlier version of the piece referred to Saikul as a district. This error has been rectified.