A woman was killed and her 12-year-old daughter injured in a suspected insurgent attack in Manipur today, according to sources. Two policemen were also wounded in the incident, though both are reported to be out of danger. One of the injured policemen was hit in the leg by shrapnel from a bomb reportedly dropped by a drone, sources said. At least two weaponized drones were allegedly seen during the attack, police sources added, although other security forces have yet to confirm the sighting of these “weaponized drones.”
The violence began at 2:35 pm when firing erupted from Nakhujang village in Kangpokpi towards Kadangband in Imphal West, sources reported. Residents in Kadangband claimed that at least one drone dropped a “bomb” on a house in the area, with purported visuals of the attack showing people running in panic. Some locals guarding their homes in Kadangband reportedly retaliated, sources noted.
The deceased woman, identified as 31-year-old Ngangbam Surbala, was pronounced dead upon arrival at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal, approximately 45 km from Kangpokpi. Her injured daughter is currently receiving treatment at the hospital.
Kangpokpi is predominantly inhabited by the Kuki community, while Imphal West is a Meitei-majority area. The Kuki tribes and the Meitei community have been engaged in conflict since May 2023 over various issues.
Allegations fly over who started the firing
The incident has sparked a war of words between the two communities. Members of the Meitei community accused “Kuki terrorists” of killing the woman, while social media users from the Kuki tribes alleged that the Meiteis initiated the firing on Kuki villages in Kangpokpi.
Manipur Congress Vice President Lamtinthang Haokip, a member of the Kuki tribe, alleged in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that an attempted ambush between the Leimakhong and Kangchup route was thwarted by Kuki village volunteers, leading to an exchange of gunfire. He further claimed that the incident was a “BJP game” aimed at diverting attention from a controversial audio tape linked to Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, a member of the ruling BJP and the Meitei community.
Since the conflict began in May 2023, social media has been flooded with visuals from Manipur every time a significant incident occurs. Authorities have urged caution to prevent the spread of misinformation, emphasizing that only security forces can verify such visuals.
Both sides have shared purported visuals of today’s firing from different angles. If confirmed by security forces, the use of weaponized drones in Manipur would be a significant and concerning escalation in the ongoing conflict. Sources suggested that the drones might have been used as spotters to direct fire, with crude artillery such as “pumpi guns” launching shells near the areas where the drones were flying, potentially leading to the impression that bombs were being dropped by the drones. (With inputs from NDTV)