GUWAHATI: New violence broke out Saturday night in the Imphal West and Bishnupur districts of Manipur, with suspected militants employing advanced firearms and explosives. Fortunately, no fatalities have been reported.
The first attack occurred around 7 PM in Koutruk Ching Leikai village in Imphal West, prompting a swift response from security forces stationed in the area. “The militants also set off explosions in Koutruk,” a security source confirmed.
Tension escalated when residents of nearby Meitei villages, located 5 to 7 kilometers from Koutruk, reported sightings of drones in the evening. “We saw drones, and it caused panic. Militants used drones for an aerial attack in Koutruk on September 1,” one resident shared. Security agencies are on high alert regarding the increasing use of drones in the region.
Koutruk has been a hotspot since ethnic violence erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023, leading to over 225 deaths and displacing around 60,000 people, exacerbating divisions between Kuki-Zo tribal groups and Meiteis. In a second incident, militants targeted Tronglaobi village in Bishnupur district, firing from the Molngat and Molshang areas around 9 PM.
In a related development, Manipur police announced the arrest of two members of the banned People’s Liberation Army (PLA) near the India-Myanmar border in Tengnoupal on Sunday. The arrested individuals have been identified as 21-year-olds Ningombam Priyo Singh and Saikhom Devjit Singh.
