Infant, 5-year-old boy killed in rocket attack in Manipur
What's the story
A suspected rocket attack on a house in Manipur's Bishnupur district has left two children dead and their mother injured. The incident took place at Moirang Tronglaobi Awang Leikai around 1:03am on Tuesday. The victims were identified as a five-month-old girl and a five-year-old boy, both of whom succumbed to their injuries. Their bodies are kept at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal.
Attack details
Attack likely carried out by Kuki militants
The attack is suspected to have been carried out by Kuki militants, officials said. The projectile hit the bedroom window when the family was asleep. Per TOI, their father works in CISF and is currently posted in Bihar. The mother, a nurse working in Guwahati, had come to Manipur for a religious function. She is in the ICU.
Security response
Security forces on high alert in area
Manipur Home Minister K Govindas condemned the incident on social media platform X, describing it as a "barbaric early morning act." He assured that all necessary steps are being taken to bring those responsible to justice. The area, located close to Kuki-dominated Churachandpur, has long been vulnerable due to its proximity to regions where armed groups are believed to operate.
Past incident
Similar attack in September last year
In the wake of the attack, security forces have stepped up their presence in the area and placed it on high alert. Search operations and surveillance are underway in adjoining hill areas, where another rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) was found near the incident site, raising fears of further attacks. In September 2024, a rocket attack in the same village killed a 72-year-old man and injured five others.
Aftermath
Mob sets police station on fire
Following Tuesday's attack, an angry mob stormed the Moirang police station accusing security of failure in recovering weapons from armed groups. The mob also set a sentry post at the police station on fire and called for an indefinite bandh in Nambol area of Bishnupur district along Tiddim Road (NH-2). Fearing more unrest, several schools in valley districts were shut on Tuesday as a precautionary measure.