Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel deployed in Manipur were caught on camera vandalising private vehicles and windows of residential houses at Singjamei Yumnam Leikai and Moirangkhom in Imphal on Monday, an official said.

The official said, “Around 10 vehicles and windows of two residential houses were damaged. The vehicles were parked in the area.” After the vandalism, there was a “huge protest and people demanded withdrawal of RAF from the area”.

Nine more people were injured in a gunfight in Khamenlok area in Imphal East district as the exchange of fire between militants and village volunteers continued till late Monday night, police said. Initially, three casualties were reported, but the number mounted as the gun-battle continued before both sides withdrew, a police officer said. The village volunteers also burnt a few makeshift bunkers and a watch tower built by the militants, he said.

In a setback to the government’s peace efforts, an important Meitei civil society organisation has announced its withdrawal from the peace committee while an apex Kuki organisation expressed its unhappiness over the committee’s unilateral formation and objected to inclusion of chief minister N Biren Singh in it.

Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (Cocomi) convenor Jeetendra Ningomba said that they were “extremely dissatisfied” with the composition of the peace committee. “Cocomi rejected this committee since the sentiment of the people living in the valley region are very high against the Kuki militants’ groups and we had demanded that first they (government) withdraw suspension of operations with the militants,” Ningomba said.

The Kuki Inpi Manipur, in a statement, said that its president was nominated as a member of the peace committee without consultation and information, and the group objected to the government’s unilateral decision.”It must be put on record that the Manipur government led by chief minister N Biren Singh has lost all credibility by orchestrating communal attacks and sponsoring radical and extremist groups, Arambai Tenggol and Meetei Leepun, against the Kukis,” the statement said.Kuldiep Singh, security Advisor to Manipur government, said 15 arms and 63 ammunition were recovered from Tengnoupal and Imphal-East Districts in the last 24 hours. A total of 1,040 arms, 13,601 ammunition and 230 bombs of different kinds have been recovered till date, he added.