The recent drone bombing in Koutruk Village, located in Manipur’s Imphal West district, has left the area devastated, with visuals revealing charred vehicles, destroyed homes, and scattered personal belongings. The scene of the attack resembled a warzone, with bomb fragments, ashes, collapsed tin roofs, and wrecked houses marking the aftermath of the violence.
The attack is part of a new wave of drone and rocket assaults carried out by suspected Kuki insurgents, adding to the unrest in the region that has persisted since the ethnic clashes between Kukis and Meiteis began on May 3, 2023. The renewed violence, which has claimed numerous lives, has derailed the fragile peace that was slowly returning to the northeastern state.
#WATCH | Manipur: Aftermath of the drone bombing that occurred at Koutruk Village in Imphal West recently. Latest visuals show the extent of damage as charred vehicles, destroyed houses and personal belongings seen. pic.twitter.com/3luep264Nq
— ANI (@ANI) September 9, 2024
Security forces, including the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB), are on high alert, patrolling the violence-stricken areas and urging residents to remain indoors amid ongoing threats of further attacks. In response, village defense forces have taken up arms, building bunkers to guard their homes and deploying spotters equipped with long-range binoculars to detect incoming assaults. Armed with sniper rifles, hi-tech walkie-talkies, bulletproof vests, and barrel guns, these local defense volunteers remain vigilant.
One volunteer, speaking anonymously, shared that they were stationed in a bunker to protect the village from rocket attacks. While previous rocket firings used improvised pump guns with limited range, recent attacks have employed rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), significantly increasing the striking distance and danger.
The Indian security forces have been conducting combing operations to seize illegal weapons, including RPGs and high-end assault rifles. As a further precaution, Manipur Police have deployed anti-drone systems and are in the process of acquiring additional technology to counter the rising threat of drone and rocket attacks.
In the wake of the renewed violence, protests erupted in Imphal, with demonstrators carrying torches and marching towards the Governor’s house, demanding action. The protestors, chanting slogans against the escalating violence, were eventually dispersed by security forces.
Amid the turmoil, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh met with the Governor, urging that control of the state’s security forces be returned to him. Currently, law and order responsibilities in Manipur are overseen by a security advisor appointed by the Union Home Ministry.
With over 200 lives lost in the ongoing conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities, the rise in drone and rocket attacks has introduced a dangerous new dimension to the violence in Manipur, deepening the crisis in the region.