Fresh Bomb Attack in Manipur's Bishnupur Amid Escalating Drone Warfare

Imphal: Days after multiple drone attacks hit Manipur 's Imphal west, now suspected militants launched a fresh bomb attack in Bishnupur district on Friday morning, damaging at least two structures, police said. The suspected militants also fired several rounds towards Bishnupur district, prompting security forces to retaliate.

Rockets were fired from elevated positions in the nearby hill areas of Churachandpur district toward the low-lying residential locality of Tronglaobi, located around 45 km from state capital Imphal. The range of the rockets was estimated to be over 3 km, police said.

No injuries were reported from the attack. However, a local community hall and an empty room were damaged because of the bombing, police added.

Drones hovering over Kumbi Village

On Thursday night, Kumbi village, located a few kilometers from Tronglaobi, experienced heightened tension after multiple drones were spotted hovering less than 100 metres above the ground, eyewitnesses said.

A section of villagers from Senjam Chirang in Manipur has been forced to abandon their homes and seek refuge in a nearby community hall after bombs dropped from a drone injured three members of a local resident's family two days ago.

The first bomb smashed through the roof of a 65-year-old farmer's house, injuring his daughter. Minutes later, another bomb fell from the sky and injured him and his son.

A local resident, Watham Gambhir said the explosive that broke the roof of his house was the second of the three bombs that were dropped from a drone on Monday evening in his house. The first one damaged his cowshed, which was empty, and the third explosive injured him and his son, who had taken shelter under a tree after fleeing home in Imphal West district.

Use of Drones in Manipur

Drones are a new technology added recently to the weapons used in the violence between the two large ethnic groups — Meitei and Kuki — in the northeastern state, which has left over 200 people dead since May last year.

The use of drones as a weapon was first noticed in Manipur on Sunday in Koutruk village in Imphal West district. In the attack, in which guns were also used, two people were killed and nine others were injured. Drones were employed again in Senjam Chirang, around three km away, the next day.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh has described the dropping of bombs on the civilian population and security forces using drones as an act of terrorism.

The state government has imposed restrictions on the import of drones or their components.

"We became concerned when we heard the buzzing sound of drones on Sunday. We also heard that bombs were dropped at Koutruk. Our village became the target the next day," said Gambhir.

The elderly farmer said that he initially thought the buzz was coming from random drones checking residential localities, as Senjam Chirang had witnessed several gunfights before.

"However, within seconds, we heard a loud explosion. I, along with my son, rushed outside into the courtyard and saw smoke billowing from the cow shed. The second bomb broke the CI roof of our bedroom, where my daughter was, and she was injured," he said.

"We ran towards a tree, some 50 metres from the courtyard, to take cover, but the drone followed us there and dropped an explosive. We started running again but were thrown forward under the impact of the blast and were injured after hitting the ground," Gambhir said.

Naoba Singh, a villager volunteer, suspected that hi-tech drones that can be used at night were brought from outside the country.

Both Meiteis and Kukis have formed armed volunteer groups to protect their villages from attacks by the other community.

Singh said, "If sophisticated weapons can be sourced (from outside the country), why can’t sophisticated drones that can be used in the dark be procured by those operating it?"

The three people injured in the bombings in Senjam Chirang were undergoing treatment in a private hospital in Imphal.

"We are scared now and not staying at home even during the daytime. Around 10 families have taken refuge in a nearby community hall," said another villager, W Inao.

A government official said that earlier, the trend was to purchase drones from outside the state, but those were used for recreation.

"With the outbreak of violence, drones have been used by the two warring groups for surveillance and tracking the movement of people," he said.

Asked whether the drones engaged in dropping bombs were purchased from outside the country, a central force official told PTI that only an expert can confirm that.

"Without technical know-how or instruction from outside the state, a local militant cannot make improvised drones which can carry heavy payloads," he said.