Kohima, May 8: Taking a cue from residents of Mon and Phek districts who had rallied against militants, hundreds of people today poured out on to the streets of Dimapur to drive away two groups of insurgents from Diphupar and 4th Mile.

Militants belonging to NSCN factions, particularly of the Isak-Muivah and the Unification groups, have been engaging in gunfights in the commercial hub of the state, triggering panic and making life miserable for the residents.

Their patience finally snapped today when cadres of the NSCN (I-M) and NSCN (Unification) continued to clash at Diphupar since last evening putting the lives of innocent people at risk. Beleaguered and besieged for the past couple of days by the Naga militants, the people of 4th Mile and Diphupar decided to take law into their own hands by dispersing the defiant cadres from the areas.

“The people have chased away both the groups from the areas,” Akaho Assumi, spokesman for the NSCN (U), told The Telegraph. He said there was heavy exchange of fire at United Naga village near Diphupar.

Last evening, a clash erupted between the two groups near the ceasefire monitoring cell of the NSCN (I-M) at Diphupar but there was no report of any casualty. Eyewitnesses said suspected cadres of the NSCN (U) attacked the house of a senior NSCN (I-M) functionary and in retaliation, the members guarding the ceasefire monitoring cell fired back.

Later, police recovered nearly 15 empty cases from the site of the clash.

Around 5 this morning, NSCN (I-M) cadres attacked the mobile camp of the rival group near Show-uba on the outskirts of Dimapur. The skirmish lasted for two hours. Assumi said one rival member was killed and a US carbine was found on him.

The NSCN (I-M) attacked the rival camp with mortars and other heavy-duty weapons. Showuba is close to Vihokhu village, the current headquarters of the NSCN (U). Later, the two factions clashed at Seitekema and 7th Mile around noon but there was no report of any casualty. Assumi said they were waiting for the reports from the cadres.

At least 22 people have been killed in factional clashes since April 15.

The two factions are waging a turf war in Dimapur, a town that the militants bank on, given the commercial activity.

The police and public said armed militants were still roaming other colonies and that the government had not taken steps to flush them out of the civilian areas.