Manipur : Drone Bomb Attack Escalate Conflict in State

MANIPUR-  The conflict in Manipur took a deadly turn after drone bomb attacked on civilians, killing two people, including a woman, and injuring 10 others.

This unprecedented attack near the state capital, Imphal, signifies a dangerous escalation in violence, with authorities suspecting the involvement of trained professionals with advanced technical expertise.

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on Tuesday condemned the use of drones to drop bombs on civilians and security forces. Calling it an act of terrorism, he said a befitting response will be given to the ‘cowardly’ acts.

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In a post on Tuesday, the CM said, “Dropping of bombs on civilian population and security forces by using drones is an act of terrorism and I condemn such cowardly acts in the strongest terms. Manipur state government takes such unprovoked assault with utmost seriousness and will take up necessary response to fight such forms of terrorism upon the indigenous population.”

“We denounce all forms of violence, and the people of Manipur shall unite together against hate, division and separatism,” said the CM in the post.

In separate bombings on Monday, the Kuki militants destroyed three bunkers of security forces in Imphal East district.

Police said that the Kuki militants dropped powerful bombs using drones seriously injuring Watham Sanatombi Devi and two others. All the injured were shifted to a hospital in Imphal, where doctors conducted urgent surgery on the woman.

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A Manipur Police statement on Monday night said that there was mobilisation of armed miscreants in many places which had seen intense conflict in the past. After Sunday’s militant attack, an alert was sounded and all forces, including the Central forces in their respective districts, have been conducting joint operations.

All forces in all 16 districts of the state are on high alert for 24 hours, the statement said. Joint operations were conducted in border areas between Churachandpur and Kakching districts, Churachandpur andBishnupur districts, Kangpokpi and Imphal West districts, Kangpokpi and Imphal East districts, and Kakching and Tegnoupal districts.

Situation has turned extremely volatile in the periphery areas of Imphal West, Imphal East, and Kangpokpi with at least 2 people killed and several others including a police commando injured in the fresh violence and heavy cross-firing.

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A woman succumbed to her injuries while her minor daughter is undergoing treatment at the RIMS hospital in Imphal as firing and alleged drone attacks were reported from Koutruk in Imphal West.

Apart from this another villager from Koutruk was also killed in the heavy cross-firing and alleged dropping of bombs through drones.