Imphal, Sep 1: Two persons, including a woman, were killed and nine others injured when suspected militants launched a gun-and-bomb attack in Manipur's Imphal West district on Sunday, police said.

According to police, militants fired indiscriminately from hilltop positions towards the low-lying valley areas of Koutruk and neighbouring Kadangband killing two persons and injuring nine others. Several houses were also damaged due to heavy shelling by the militants, they added.

Of the nine injured, five sustained bullet wounds, while the others suffered splinter injuries from bomb explosions, hospital officials said.

The sudden assault on the unsuspecting village caused widespread panic, forcing many residents, including women, children, and the elderly, to flee to safer areas, police added.

The body of the deceased woman, identified as 31-year-old Ngangbam Surbala Devi, has been taken to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) for post-mortem examination. The identity of the other victim is yet to be ascertained, police said.

Security forces, including state and central units, have been deployed in the area to stabilise the situation.

The state government has strongly condemned the attack on unarmed villagers of Koutruk.

"The state government has learnt about the unfortunate incident of attack on unarmed Koutruk villagers using drone, bombs and sophisticated weapons reportedly by Kuki militants causing death of two persons including one women. Such act of terrorising upon unarmed villagers is viewed very seriously by the state government, when it is putting all possible efforts towards bringing normalcy and peace in the state," a statement by the Home Department said.

It added that such act of creating havoc among unarmed villagers is seen as an attempt to derail the efforts taken by state government to establish peace in the state.

"The state government has already taken up immediate action to control the situation and to punish those who were involved in the attack on Koutruk Village, Imphal West," the statement added.

Meanwhile, the DGP has instructed all SPs to remain on maximum alert in all fringe areas.

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New Delhi: The countdown has begun for the counting of votes for the Assembly elections in five states that have captured the attention of people across the country.

The counting of votes for the Assembly constituencies of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and the Union Territory of Puducherry will begin simultaneously at 8 am, and the fate of candidates in a total of 824 constituencies will be decided shortly.

The counting of postal ballots will take place first, followed by the counting of EVM votes in several rounds.

► In Kerala’s Kasaragod constituency, UDF candidate Kallatra Mahin Haji is leading by 4,177 votes over NDA candidate M. L. Ashwini

► ADMK leader in Tamil Nadu, followed by TVK, DMK takes third spot. PMK, CPI, Congress lead in one seat each

► In West Bengal, TMC is leading in 111 seats, while BJP is leading in 119 seats.

► Vijay’s TVK leading in over 80 seats in Tamil Nadu, emerges as single largest party in early trends

► In Assam, BJP is leading in 71 seats, while Congress is leading in 26 seats.

► Kerala: UDF leading in 21 seats, LDF second, leading in 11

► Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala faces a setback in Kerala’s Haripad constituency

► Thrissur: Congress’ Rajan J Pallan leading with 6,460 votes; CPI candidate Alankode Leelakrishnan second with 5113 votes

► Out of 294 seats in West Bengal, BJP is leading in 109, TMC in 89, Congress in 5, others in one seat.

► DMK candidate in Thiruchirapalli KN Nehru behind TVK's G Ramamoorthi by 292 votes

► The BJP has taken an early lead in West Bengal, while Mamata Banerjee faces tough competition

► TVK head Vijay leads in Perambur constituency

► M. K. Stalin is leading in Tamil Nadu’s Kolathur constituency.

► AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami is leading in Tamil Nadu’s Edappadi constituency

► In Puducherry, BJP is leading in 3 seats.

► In Assam, BJP is leading in 56 seats, while Congress is leading in 12 seats.

► Suvendhu Adhikari leads in both Bhabanipur and Nandigram

► West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee faces setback in Bhabanipur constituency

► Bhupen Borah, who recently left Congress and joined the BJP, is leading in Assam’s Bihpuria constituency

► Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma is leading in Jalukabari constituency

► BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari is leading in West Bengal’s Nandigram constituencyFive-state elections: Postal vote counting begins

► TMC, BJP lead in one seat each in West Bengal

► In Tamil Nadu, DMK leads in 3 constituencies, while TVK leads in 1

► UDF leads in 5 seats in Kerala, BJP in 1, LDF in 1

► BJP leads in 2 seats, AIUDF in 1 in Assam

► AINRC leads in 1 constituency in Puducherry

► TMC leads in 5 seats in West Bengal; Mamata Banerjee’s party maintains initial lead

► Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin leads in Kolathur

► BJP takes early lead in Assam

► Congress-led UDF leads in Kerala

► Tamil Nadu, TVK chief Vijay leads in the Perambur constituency, lags in Tiruchirappalli South

► BJP leads in 10 seats in Assam

► LDF candidate V.P.P. Mustafa leads in the Thrikkaripur Assembly constituency

► Out of 294 seats in West Bengal, BJP is leading in 14 seats, TMC in 12 seats, Congress in 2 seats

► Out of 234 seats in Tamil Nadu, DMK is leading in 15 seats, AIADMK is leading in 5 seats, TVK is leading in 2 seats

► Out of 126 seats in Assam, BJP is leading in 31 seats, Congress in 4 seats, AIUDF in 2 seats.

► Out of 30 seats in Puducherry, NRC+ is leading in 3 seats, Congress in 2 seats, TVK in 1 seat.

► Congress’ Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury suffers a setback in theBerhampore constituency in West Bengal.