Imphal: A woman was murdered and her 12-year-old daughter injured in an attack by suspected insurgents in Manipur on Sunday, reports said. Two policemen were also hurt but are reported to be out of danger. One officer sustained a leg injury from shrapnel when a bomb, apparently dropped by a drone, exploded nearby. At least two weaponised drones were reportedly sighted, though other security forces have yet to verify these sightings.
The incident began around 2.35 pm when gunfire erupted from Nakhujang village in Kangpokpi towards Kadangband in Imphal West. Residents of Kadangband reported that a drone dropped a bomb on a house in their area and they shared videos showing the drone in action as people sought shelter. However, security forces have not yet confirmed the accuracy of these claims.
In response, some locals in Kadangband fired back. The deceased woman has been identified as 31-year-old Ngangbam Surbala, who was declared dead upon arrival at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal, about 45 km from Kangpokpi.
Manipur ethnic tensions
The violence has highlighted ongoing tensions between the Kuki and Meitei communities and the Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi and the Meitei-majority Imphal West district being at the centre of the conflict that began in May 2023. Members of the Meitei community have accused “Kuki terrorists” of being responsible for the attack, while social media from the Kuki side claims that the Meiteis initiated the violence against Kuki villages in Kangpokpi.
Drone warfare
Both communities have circulated various videos showing the exchange of fire from different perspectives. If verified, the use of weaponised drones in this conflict would be a huge development. The drones might have been used for reconnaissance or to guide artillery fire, with the shells fired by crude weapons landing near the drones, potentially causing confusion about the source of the bombs.