Manipur police officer shoots senior citizen dead after verbal argument

Police officer Bikramjit Singh is said to have opened fire with his service rifle out of sheer anger.

A Manipur police officer fatally shot his senior colleague, a police officer of the rank of sub-inspector, after a verbal argument on Saturday, officials said.

A police official said constable Bikramjit Singh allegedly opened fire out of sheer anger with his service rifle at Sub-Inspector Shah Jahan, who died on the spot. The two are said to have had an argument earlier on Saturday.

The reason for the altercation, which took place in Manipur’s violence-hit Jiribam district, is being investigated by police. A police official said the incident took place at the Mongbung village police post, an area currently under heightened security.

The suspected officer was immediately arrested by the other police officers.

Ethnically diverse Jiribam, largely unaffected by ethnic violence in the Imphal Valley and adjoining hills, erupted in violence in June this year after a 59-year-old man belonging to one community was allegedly shot by militants from another another community was murdered. Thousands had to leave their homes and move to relief camps due to incidents of arson by both sides. The neighborhood has been on the brink ever since.

Since May last year, more than 200 people have been killed and thousands left homeless by ethnic violence between Meiteis in the Imphal Valley and neighboring Kuki-Zo groups in the hills.