In Manipur's Bishnupur district, a woman working in paddy fields was fatally shot by suspected hill-based militants on Saturday, news agency PTI reported, citing officials.

The incident occurred in the Saiton area when militants, positioned in the hills, opened fire on farmers tending crops in the low-lying lands of Imphal Valley.

The woman was killed instantly, officials reported, which has heightened tensions in the village. Local residents expressed frustration, claiming central forces stationed nearby were not taking sufficient measures to prevent such attacks.

Following the incident, additional security forces were deployed to the area.

This killing follows the death of another woman, aged 31, who was attacked by unknown assailants in Zairon Hmar village, Jiribam district, on Thursday night.

In this incident, six houses were also set ablaze, and villagers later found the woman’s charred body on Friday afternoon.

Since May last year, ethnic violence between the Meitei community in Imphal Valley and Kuki groups in the surrounding hill regions has led to over 200 fatalities and has left thousands homeless across Manipur.