Manipur: Drone bombs, RPGs used in 'unprecedented' attack; 2 killed, 9 injured

Suspected Kuki militants burnt five abandoned houses in an attack in Manipur’s Imphal West district in which police said that rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and drone bombs were used for the first time.

Two persons including a woman were killed and nine injured in the audacious attack on Koutruk village, 18 km from the state capital Imphal, on late Sunday (September 1).

The security forces chased away the militants who also fired at hamlets in Koutruk and neighbouring Kadangband, media reports said.

Unprecedented attack

The Manipur Police called the RPG-drone attack as “unprecedented”.

“While drone bombs have commonly been used in general warfares, this recent deployment of drones to deploy explosives against security forces and the civilians mark a significant escalation,” the police said on X.

“The involvement of highly trained professionals, possibly with technical expertise and support, cannot be ruled out. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, and the police are prepared to respond to any contingency that may arise,” it added.

People flee in panic

The police urged the general public to maintain restraint and said that combing operations were on to flush out any “inimical elements”.

The residents of the two villages including women, children and the elderly fled their homes after the gun and bomb attack that began at 2.30 pm on Sunday, a police officer said.

Koutruk has witnessed several attacks since ethnic violence in Manipur broke out in May last year.

(With agency inputs)