A sub-divisional police officer was killed on Tuesday after being shot at by suspected tribal militants at Moreh in Manipur's Tengnoupal district, police said.

Moreh SDPO Chingtham Anand received a bullet injury after the group of insurgents fired on policemen when they were inspecting the newly constructed helipad at Eastern ground in the border town dominated by Kuki-Zo community people, a senior officer said.

The SDPO was taken to a primary health centre in Moreh where he succumbed to his injury, the police officer said.

An operation has been launched in the area to apprehend the militants, he said.

The incident comes weeks after several civil society organisations, particularly those based in Moreh, demanded the removal of state forces from the border town.

The Manipur Police had arrested more than 10 Myanmarese in the last couple of days for allegedly stealing furniture and other household items from abandoned residences of Meiteis and for illegally entering into the Indian territory.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh, reacting to the arrest of three Myanmarese on Oct 21 for stealing furniture and electrical items from houses that were burnt down when violence broke out in the state in May, had said, "This happened when some particular organisations were protesting against the deployment of state police and commandos at Moreh town".

More than 180 people have lost their lives since ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3, when a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mostly in the hill districts.

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