Condemning suspected militants for targeting security forces and civilians by using drones, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Tuesday said the state government will “take up necessary response to fight such forms of terrorism”.

His statement came after two persons were killed and several others were injured in two separate attacks since Sunday by suspected Kuki militants in the state’s Imphal West district.

“Manipur state government takes such unprovoked assault with utmost seriousness,” said Singh. “We denounce all forms of violence, and the people of Manipur shall unite together against hate, division and separatism.”

Manipur has been gripped by ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities since May 2023. At least 226 persons have died and more than 59,000 persons displaced since the beginning of the clashes, Singh told the state Assembly on August 2.

The attack on Sunday began around 2 pm, when suspected Kuki militants allegedly launched fire and dropped bombs using drones in Koutruk, a Meitei village in Imphal West, and Kangpokpi. The Meitei community is in majority in Imphal West, whereas the tribal Kuki community dominates Kangpokpi.

A 31-year-old woman identified as Ngangbam Surbala Devi died in the attack. Her 11-year-old daughter sustained a bullet injury to her right arm. An unidentified man was also killed, The Hindu reported.

Following this, the Manipur Police said that the use of “high-tech drones” by alleged Kuki militants to deploy explosives against security forces and civilians marked a “significant escalation” in the ethnic clashes in the state.

The police said that 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,” the police added.

On Monday, three more persons were injured as suspected militants launched a bomb attack using drones in Senjam Chirang Maning Leikai village of Imphal West, reported The Hindu.

“Search operations and area domination were conducted by security forces in the fringe and vulnerable areas of hill and valley districts,” the police said afterwards.

They added that ten 12-inch single-bore barrel rifles, an improvised mortar and nine improvised mortar barrels, 20 gelatin sticks, 30 detonators and two country-made rockets were recovered during the operations from Kangpokpi’s Kangchup Ponlen area. A drone was also seized from the Kharam Vaiphei area of the district.

Central forces mute spectators, says CM’s son-in-law

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party MLA and Manipur chief minister’s son-in-law Rajkumar Imo Singh on Monday wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah asking for the withdrawal of central forces from the state.

The central forces were “mostly present as mute spectators”, Rajkumar Imo Singh alleged.

A significant number of personnel from the central forces have been deployed in “buffer zones” between Meitei-majority districts and those dominated by the Kukis.

Meitei politicians and representatives have urged the Centre to replace the forces, particularly Assam Rifles, earlier as well.

Rajkumar Imo Singh, who represents the Sagolband Assembly constituency, said that 16 months after the conflict started, “one expected that the days of violence were left behind with more concentration on a political dialogue to bring a permanent and peaceful solution”.

However, “a certain group/section just wants this violence to continue to serve their larger interest”, he told Shah.

“The attack has now been upgraded to drone attacks and shelling, which we see in other neighbouring countries,” wrote Imo. “It is at this juncture that I am resorted to questioning the Central government regarding the actions related to stop this violence.”

He further said that the Union government has to abrogate the suspension of operations signed with Kuki militant groups that are “constantly behind the spread of further violence”.

“Investigate the funding and supply of these arms and ammunition,” he said. “A mere ethnic conflict should not last for such a long time but it has continued for nearly a year-and-a-half now due to the support and supply of illegal arms and ammunition.”

Rajkumar Imo Singh also demanded that the Centre hand over the unified command in the state to the Manipur government headed by the chief minister, as the present “set up isn’t able to halt such violence”.