Kuki Militants Use Drones To Fire RPGs On Villagers In Manipur, 2 Killed

Imphal: In a first, Kuki militants used weaponised drones to launch an attack in Manipur's Imphal West district on Sunday. The gun-and-bomb attack by the suspected militants killed two persons and injured nine others, police said. Of the nine injured, five sustained bullet wounds, while the others suffered splinter injuries from bomb explosions, hospital officials said.

A woman was killed and her 12-year-old daughter was among nine injured, including two policemen, in firing by “suspected Kuki militants”, the state police and the Home Department said in separate statements. The Home Department said a man was also killed in the attack, taking the number of dead to two.

According to police, militants fired indiscriminately from hilltop positions towards the low-lying valley areas of Koutruk and neighboring Kadangband. Several houses were also damaged due to heavy shelling by the militants, they added.

The Drone Attack

The attack was carried out using snipers and bombs dropped by drones, according to top intelligence sources, as reported by a leading English daily, confirming what eyewitnesses said on early Monday morning. The use of drones to drop bombs on a civilian area in a state already affected by ethnic violence marks a significant and alarming escalation, the sources added.

The sudden assault on the unsuspecting village caused widespread panic, forcing many residents, including women, children, and the elderly, to flee to safer areas, police added.

The drones were earlier suspected to have been used as spotters, while the crude artillery "pumpi guns" fired the shells that landed right near where the drones flew, giving the impression that the drones dropped the bombs, sources had said.

RPGs Deployment

The attack, which took place on Sunday, involved the use of sophisticated weaponry, including multiple RPGs (rocket-propelled grenade) delivered by advanced drones.

However, the confirmation by top sources in the security establishment on the use of drones to drop bombs has—for the first time—raised the threat to unprecedented levels to the security forces and civilians in the area.

One of the policemen was hit in the leg by shrapnel from a bomb dropped by a drone, and at least two weaponized drones were seen, police sources said. The firing started from Nakhujang village in Kangpokpi towards Kadangband in Imphal West at 2:35 pm, sources said. Residents in Kadangband said at least one drone dropped a "bomb" on a house in the area, and shared purported visuals of the attack that showed people running.

Manipur Police Statement

The Manipur Police said in a post on X, "In an unprecedented attack in Koutruk, Imphal West, alleged Kuki militants have deployed numerous RPGs using high-tech drones. While drone bombs have commonly been used in general warfares, this recent deployment of drones to deploy explosives against security forces and the civilians marks a significant escalation."

"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," they added.

The woman, Ngangbam Surbala, 31, was brought dead at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in the state capital Imphal, 45 km from Kangpokpi. Her injured daughter is in the hospital.

Kangpokpi is a Kuki-dominated area, while Imphal West is in the Meitei-dominated valley. The Kuki tribes and the Meitei community have been fighting since May 2023 over a range of issues.

The body of the deceased woman, identified as 31-year-old Ngangbam Surbala Devi, has been taken to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) for post-mortem examination. The identity of the other victim is yet to be ascertained, police said.

Security forces, including state and central units, have been deployed in the area to stabilize the situation.

Home Department Statement

The state government has strongly condemned the attack on unarmed villagers of Koutruk. "The state government has learnt about the unfortunate incident of attack on unarmed Koutruk villagers using drone, bombs and sophisticated weapons reportedly by Kuki militants causing death of two persons including one woman. Such act of terrorizing upon unarmed villagers is viewed very seriously by the state government, when it is putting all possible efforts towards bringing normalcy and peace in the state," a statement by the Home Department said.

It added that such acts of creating havoc among unarmed villagers are seen as an attempt to derail the efforts taken by the state government to establish peace in the state.

"The state government has already taken up immediate action to control the situation and to punish those who were involved in the attack on Koutruk Village, Imphal West," the statement added.

Meanwhile, the DGP has instructed all SPs to remain on maximum alert in all fringe areas.