New Delhi: The Indian Army has said it is using unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, to monitor mobs and groups, largely women, who are blocking roads and not allowing security forces to pass.

The violence in the state is showing no signs of letting up, with fresh gunfire reported on Friday afternoon. Security foces were reportedly stopped from reaching the site of the violence.

According to The Hindu, the army said on Friday (June 23) that large groups of women prevented security forces from entering areas bordering Kangpokpi and Imphal East districts, while "armed miscreants" opened fire at the villages. No casualties were reported.

The army's Spear Corps also tweeted footage from drones which showed the blocked roads, and said that to maintain peace and after consulting the local leaders, “blocks (established to prevent movement of additional miscreants towards the area) were partially lifted to give safe passage to miscreants & mob to withdraw from area”.

Women blocking roads to stop security forces and allegedly provide a cover for shooters has been witnessed several times in violence-hit Manipur recently. The army had said in an earlier tweet that a “group of armed miscreants sneaked into the area from YKPI (Yaingangpokpi) towards hill side today afternoon. Miscreants firing automatic weapons towards villages of Urangpat & Gwaltabi. Security Forces Columns deployed in these vacant villages responding in calibrated manner to avoid any collateral damage. Large group of women part of mob in YKPI & Seijang area preventing movement of additional columns into the area.”

Union home minister Amit Shah is hosting an all-party meet on the Manipur situation on Saturday. The Narendra Modi government has been criticised for the prime minister's ongoing silence on the matter, despite the ethnic violence that began on May 3 leaving more than 150 people dead and more than 40,000 displaced from their homes.

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