In a series of escalating attacks in Manipur's Bishnupur district, suspected militants fired two rockets on Friday, resulting in one fatality and five injuries. The violence comes as the Imphal Valley region grapples with heightened tensions following recent high-tech assaults. The first rocket attack occurred around 4:30 a.m. in Tronglaobi, Bishnupur district, damaging two structures. The second strike hit the compound of former Chief Minister Mairembam Koireng’s residence in Moirang town around 3 p.m., killing 72-year-old RK Rabei Singh and injuring five others, including a 13-year-old girl. The injured were promptly admitted to a hospital.
"Rabei Singh was preparing for some religious rituals in the compound when the bomb exploded," an official reported.
Rocket attacks follow drone attacks
These attacks follow earlier incidents where drones were used to drop bombs on targets in the Imphal West district. The use of drones as a weapon, first observed on September 1 in Koutruk village, has added a new dimension to the conflict. In that attack, two people were killed, and nine were injured, with subsequent drone strikes injuring three more in Senjam Chirang.
Schools closed
In response to the unrest, the Manipur government announced the closure of all schools on September 7 to ensure the safety of students and teachers. The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has declared a "public emergency" across five Imphal Valley districts.
COCOMI forms human chain
COCOMI's statement read, "The government cannot be further trusted to protect the lives of people. The public must decide its own way to protect themselves.” COCOMI also organized human chains in which school and college students, as well as women from various localities, lined up along roadsides in Thoubal Bazar, Lilong Chajing in Thoubal district, and Sekmai, Kwakeithel, Singjamei in Imphal West district raising slogans condemning the recent attacks in Koutruk and Senjam Chirang.
Security heightened
On the ground, local officials including MLA T Shanti and Minister L Sushinro Meitei visited the attack sites and engaged with affected communities. Local village volunteers expressed their concerns, with one noting, "The people are clueless now. Earlier, when there was a gun attack, village volunteers who guarded peripheral villages retaliated to prevent the militants from advancing further. However, this is a new form of warfare, for which no one is prepared." Security forces have heightened their presence in the valley, focusing on areas bordering Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts. The attacks have exposed vulnerabilities in the current security arrangements designed to manage the ongoing conflict.
(With PTI Inputs)
ALSO READ | Retired police officer house torched in fresh unrest in Manipur
