The Indian Express newspaper reported that the bodies of 13 people were found killed in a firefight in the state of Manipur, where ethnic clashes have been ongoing since last May.

Security sources said that the Tenupal area, where the bodies were found, "is considered an area where no clashes had previously been recorded during the current ethnic violence."

A security source also noted that "when security forces arrived at the scene this afternoon (after the shooting started), they found 13 bodies, whose identities have not yet been determined."

It is noted that the situation has become very tense in the aforementioned area, after immigrants from the Meitei tribe demanded to be granted the status of "scheduled caste," which grants its holders certain privileges, including when applying for a job in an authority or government institution, and when joining higher education institutions, in addition to many other benefits. This demand sparked protests among the Kuki tribe, which makes up 56% of the state's population. The tribe considered such a demand an assault on their rights.