Eyewitness Account Before Deadly Attack in Manipur: 'Saw Two Drones Flying'

Imphal: An eyewitness of the deadly attack by militants in Manipur on Sunday recounted his experience. The attack, which resulted in two deaths and several injuries, involved the use of drones.

The eyewitness a resident of the village and general secretary of the village peace committee, shared that he saw two drones flying over the area just minutes before the bombs were dropped.  

"Some of the houses in the village are still burning because of the bombs, I saw two drones flying over our village before they dropped the bombs."the eyewitness reported to a leading English daily.   

According to officials, the attack began at 2 PM and involved exchanges of gunfire between militants and security personnel, continuing until late evening. The militants used drones to fire grenades.

The police identified one of the victims as Ngangbam Ongbi Surbala, who was shot in her right arm while visiting her maternal home with her 11-year-old daughter. The injured included a local journalist, two police personnel, and other residents of the village.

The incident followed protests held the previous day in Kangpokpi and Churachandpur districts by Kuki-Zo groups against Chief Minister N. Biren Singh.

Manipur Police Points Towards Kuki Militants

The Manipur police have blamed Kuki militants for the attack.

Taking to the social media platform X  police officials stated, "While drone bombs have commonly been used in general warfare, this recent deployment of drones to target security forces and civilians marks a significant escalation. The involvement of highly trained professionals, possibly with technical expertise, cannot be ruled out. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation and are prepared to respond to any contingencies."

The police also urged the public to maintain order.

The Manipur Home Department issued a statement condemning the attack, noting, “The state government has learned about the unfortunate incident involving an attack on unarmed Koutruk villagers using drones, bombs, and sophisticated weapons reportedly by Kuki militants. Such acts of terrorizing unarmed villagers are viewed very seriously by the state government, which is committed to bringing normalcy and peace to the state.”