New Delhi: An unidentified flying object was sighted near Imphal airport yesterday evening, triggering a security alert in the area. Several witnesses reported seeing the object hovering above the airport 6:35 pm and 7:05 pm before it disappeared from view. The Manipur police, in a post on X, said that the claims regarding a drone or other flying objects remain unverified. "The investigation into the sighting is ongoing, and security officials are maintaining a high alert status," it said.The incident comes amid fresh violence in Manipur. At least five people were killed amid heavy exchange of fire between people of the warring communities Jiribam district.Here Are The Top Big Developments In This Big Story:
Fresh violence erupted in Jiribam after militants entered the house of a person who lived alone at an isolated location around 5 km from the district headquarters and shot him dead in his sleep. The killing was followed by a heavy exchange of fire between the warring communities in the hills, leading to the deaths of four armed men, including three hills-based militants, police added. In the evening, Chief Minister N Biren Singh held an emergency meeting with MLAs from the ruling coalition to discuss the prevailing law and order situation in the state. After the meeting, Singh rushed to Raj Bhavan and briefed Governor L. Acharya on the situation. On Friday, security forces destroyed three bunkers of militants in Churachandpur district after insurgents launched rocket attacks in adjoining Bishnupur that killed one person and injured six others. Earlier this week, an abandoned three-room house of a retired police officer was burnt down by suspected 'village volunteers' at Jakuradhor in Borobekra police station area. Tribal body Indigenous Tribes Advocacy Committee (Pherzawl and Jiribam) denied any involvement in the incident. Fresh violence erupted in the district despite representatives of the Meitei and Hmar communities reaching an agreement to restore normalcy and "prevent incidents of arson and firing" in a meeting held at a CRPF facility in adjoining Assam's Cachar on August 1. The meeting moderated by the Jiribam district administration, Assam Rifles and CRPF personnel was attended by representatives of Hmar, Meitei, Thadou, Paite and Mizo communities of Jiribam district were also present. More than 200 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo groups since May last year. Ethnically-diverse Jiribam, which was largely untouched by ethnic violence in Imphal Valley and adjoining hills, erupted in violence after a 59-year-old man belonging to one community was killed allegedly by militants of another community in June. Thousands had to leave their homes and relocate to relief camps due to incidents of arson by both sides. A CRPF jawan was also killed in an ambush by militants during patrolling by security forces in mid-July. With inputs from PTI 
