India, Oct. 20 -- Three people collecting firewood in a forest were killed by armed militants on Monday in Manipur's Imphal East district, officials aware of the matter said, the latest round of violence in the bruised state where clashes have claimed at least 306 lives since 2023.

Around 9am, militants opened fire on 16 firewood collectors - all belonging to the Meitei community - at Khongban Sunurok village in Imphal East district. Three others are injured.

The killings triggered protests by Meitei groups who placed two bodies outside the chief minister's residence in Imphal, people aware of the matter said. It was not immediately known if chief minister Y Khemchand Singh was at his residence at the time.

Police said the deceased wer...