Manipur Drone Attacks: Top Cop Confirms Foreign Link, Probe Likely to Be Handed Over to NIA

Imphal: Days after the Kuki apex body, Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), denied any involvement of foreign entities, including China and the US, in recent drone attacks and bombings in Manipur , the state's Inspector General of Police (Operations), I. K. Muivah, confirmed foreign involvement in the incidents. He said that they would most likely hand over all the pieces of evidence that they have collected during their investigation of the drone bombing case to the central investigating agencies and that it will be investigated at a higher level.

IGP Muivah addressed the ongoing investigation, stating, "We are collecting various pieces of evidence. Most likely, we will be handing over these kinds of important cases to the National Investigative Agencies (NIA) so that they can be investigated at the highest level."

He further mentioned that bomb fragments recovered from the attack sites have been sent to forensic labs for analysis. "We have recovered all the bomb fragments, they have been sent to the forensic lab so that chemicals which have been used can be detected," Muivah added.

Authorities have not yet disclosed specific details about the foreign link, but the involvement of national agencies like the NIA indicates the seriousness of the investigation.

ITLF Denied Foreign Link on Sep 3

On September 3, Kuki apex body Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) was compelled to respond after Republic Media Network's Editor-in-Chief, Arnab Goswami , questioned foreign involvement in the incident. The ITLF had firmly denied any involvement of foreign entities, including China and the US, in the Kuki-Zo conflict. The organisation released a statement emphasising that the conflict is an ethnic issue between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities.

The body claimed, "The Kuki-Zo conflict has nothing to do with Myanmar, the US, or China. It is a purely ethnic cleansing program of the Meitei against the Kuki-Zo. After driving the Kuki-Zo people away from the Meitei areas, they destroyed all of the Kuki-Zo homes and churches, killing over 190 of them and leaving over 20,000 homeless in the process. The Kuki-Zo have no choice but to defend their territory and lives in response to Meitei’s declaration of war against them."

Addressing the use of drones in the recent attacks, the ITLF said, "Drones are readily available on the market; obtaining them does not require involvement from outside the country. Licypriya Kangujam, a Meitei climate activist, publicly stated on social media that she has procured drones equipped with bomb-dropping capabilities from the US to bomb the Kuki-Zo inhabited areas. Kourunganba, the leader of Arambai Tenggol, further asserted that the drone that was utilized on September 1 was their own."

Manipur Students Protest

This comes as prohibitory orders were imposed in three districts of Manipur , a day after student protests demanding the restoration of peace in the strife-torn state rocked Imphal Valley. Hundreds of students from various schools and colleges spent the night at camps set up at Khwairamband Women Market in Imphal. The students, in their uniforms, were helped by women shopkeepers to set up camps at the market.

Speaking on the ongoing student protest, Muivah said, "Regarding the students' protest, we appeal to them to not indulge in violence as it creates unnecessary problems which cause injuries to police as well as students. Some vested interest groups are instigating this. We are monitoring it and social media websites. Action will be taken against those who spread false messages on social media as they create panic and confusion. We appeal to social media users to use it responsibly in a positive way."

He further provided clarification regarding a press statement by a very senior retired officer that stated that there were no Manipur police but there were Meitei and Kuki police and said that it was an immature statement.

"We want to make some important clarification regarding a press statement by a very senior retired officer in which they said that there was no Manipur police but there are Meitei police and Kuki police. We want to refute that because the force is composed of all kinds of communities, whether from the mainland, Kukis, Nagas or Meiteis. It is an immature statement," he said.

Earlie on Tuesday morning, student leader Ch Victor Singh said, “We have given a 24-hour deadline for Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya's response to the six demands we have placed. We will decide our future course of action after the deadline ends.”

Thousands of students protested in front of the Manipur Secretariat and Raj Bhavan on Monday, demanding action against those behind the recent drone and missile attacks, and calling for the protection of the state's "territorial and administrative integrity".

At least eight persons have died and over 12 injured in a fresh wave of violence, which included drone and missile attacks.

Later, the students met Chief Minister N Biren Singh and Governor Acharya.

Student representatives who met Acharya later told reporters that they have placed six demands, including the removal of the Director General of Police (DGP) and the security advisor to the state government for their alleged failure to control the violence. They also called for the Unified Command, currently chaired by former CRPF DG Kuldiep Singh, to be handed over to the state government.

"The Monday rally was an outburst of anger of the student community over the prolonged crisis in the state. We want peace and solution at the earliest without altering the state's territorial and administrative integrity," another protesting student said.

During the student protests in Imphal, protesters raised slogans such as 'Long live Manipur ', 'Resign all incompetent MLAs', and 'Give Unified Command to state government' and expressed their frustration with the authorities over their handling of the situation.

Police claimed protesting students also engaged in stone-pelting, forcing the law enforcers to fire tear gas shells to disperse them.

In Thoubal, a large number of protesters, including students, marched towards the district police headquarters and DC office on Monday.

"Police warned people to disperse but the unruly mob got violent and there was live firing from among the crowd at the police personnel in which one personnel was hit on the left thigh by a live round," Manipur Police said in a statement.

The unruly mob also damaged one vehicle parked outside the court complex. An ambulance carrying some injured personnel was also pelted with stones, it added.

More than 200 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic strife between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kukis since May last year.