2 dead, 10 injured in Manipur flare-up as police say drones used to deploy RPGs on village

“While drone bombs have commonly been used in general warfares, this recent deployment of drones to deploy explosives against security forces and civilians marks a significant escalation. The involvement of highly trained professionals, possibly with technical expertise and support, cannot be ruled out,” said an official statement by the Manipur police.

Officials identified one of the deceased as 35-year-old Nganbam Surbala, who received a bullet injury to her head. Her 11-year-old daughter was also injured with a bullet injury to her right arm.

The firing started around 2:00 pm on Sunday and, according to a senior police official, continued till around 7:30 pm, though the situation remained tense into the night. According to locals from Koutruk, houses in the village were set ablaze, and most villagers were evacuated to safer places.

Koutruk is a Meitei village located in Imphal West district, close to the border with Kuki-Zomi majority Kangpokpi district. It has been one of the worst affected areas in the ongoing conflict, reporting recurring incidents of gunfire.

On Sunday evening, Manipur Director General of Police Rajiv Singh issued directions to the Superintendents of Police of all districts to “remain on maximum alert” and ensure vigilance along all “fringe areas”. The DGP directed that there be “proper coordination” between different security forces and that joint combing operations be conducted.

The Manipur government’s Home Department also issued a statement, calling Sunday’s violence an “act of terrorising unarmed villagers.”

“Such act of creating havoc among the unarmed villagers, reportedly by Kuki militants, is seen as an attempt to derail the efforts taken by the state government to establish peace. And such acts are condemned very strongly. The state government has already taken up immediate action to control the situation and to punish those who were involved in today’s attack on Koutruk village,” it stated.

The flare-up comes after several months of relative calm along the borders of Meitei- and Kuki-Zomi-majority districts, which since last May have been hotbeds of violence and exchange of fire in the conflict.

While there had been an escalation of violence in Jiribam district along the state’s border with Assam, the last major incident of violence along these “fringe areas” was on April 27. That day, two CRPF personnel were killed and two injured in Manipur’s Bishnupur district following a blast at the paramilitary force’s outpost.

Sunday’s violence comes a day after rallies organised by the Kuki-Zo communities in protest against the present Manipur government led by Chief Minister N Biren Singh.