In fresh violence in Manipur, suspected Kuki militants launched a drone attack in the Koutruk area of Imphal West on Sunday, leading to the tragic death of a 31-year-old woman and injuring ten others, including her 6-year-old daughter and a journalist from Impact News.

The victim, Ngangbam Surbala, was fatally shot while visiting her maternal home; her daughter and the other injured individuals, including a reporter Elangbam Mushuk, are currently receiving treatment at local hospitals.

In response, State and Central forces engaged in a fierce exchange of gunfire with the attackers. During the confrontation, one state force personnel sustained critical injuries, suffering bullet wounds and bomb fragments in both legs and his abdomen.

The victim is now receiving treatment at Raj Medicity after being transferred from RIMS; another civilian was also injured and is being treated at the same hospital.

The situation remains tense as gunfights continue in the Kadangband area of Manipur with reports of suspected Kuki militants using drone bombs in the ongoing conflict between the Meeteis/Meiteis and Kukis, forcing residents to flee their homes.

According to News Network, Ng. Lun Kipgen, spokesperson for the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), stated that an attempt to ambush “innocent Kuki-Zo passengers” traveling along the only connecting road between Kangpokpi and Churachandpur sparked a fresh gunfight today.

Meanwhile, the Manipur Home Department has issued a press release condemning the attack on unarmed villagers in Koutruk by suspected Kuki militants.

The State Government has gone on to express serious concern over the act of terror, especially as efforts are underway to restore peace in the state.

However, immediate actions are being taken to control the situation and bring the perpetrators to justice simultaneously the government strongly condemned the incident, viewing it as an attempt to derail peace efforts in Manipur.

Here is what Manipur Police is saying [Courtesy X]: In an unprecedented attack in Koutruk, Imphal West, alleged Kuki militants have deployed numerous RPGs using high-tech drones. While drone bombs have commonly been used in general warfares, this recent deployment of drones to deploy explosives against security forces and the civilians marks a significant escalation.

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. Further, 01 (one) civilian identified as Ngangbam Surbala (31 yrs) succumbed to bullet injuries sustained in the attack, while her 8 years old daughter was injured on her arm. Also 02 (two) police personnel and 03 (three) civilian sustained injuries in the ongoing incident. Police appeals to the general public to maintain restraint. Combing operations are ongoing to flush out any inimical elements.

An Eye Witness Recalls Horror

A resident of the village in Manipur, following the militant attack on Sunday, recounted the terrifying experience, describing how he saw two drones flying over the area just minutes before bombs were dropped.

According to the eyewitness, Sunil Ningthoujam, who is related to one of the victims and serves as the general secretary of the village peace committee, stated that some houses were still burning as a result of the bombs.

He said, “I saw two drones flying over our village before they dropped the bomb… Some of the houses in the village are still burning because of the bombs.”

The incident occurred a day after Kuki-Zo groups held protest rallies against Chief Minister N Biren Singh in Kangpokpi and Churachandpur districts.

What Is The Conflict Centered On In Manipur?

The ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur, which has persisted for many months now, stems from deep-seated tensions between the Meitei majority and the Kuki-Zo, one of several tribal groups in the state that comprises about 16 percent of the population.

The Meiteis, who are predominantly Hindu, mostly reside in the capital, Imphal, and the surrounding prosperous valley, while the largely Christian Kuki-Zo live in scattered settlements in the state’s hills.

The longstanding animosity between these communities is fueled by competition for land and public jobs, with rights activists accusing local leaders of exacerbating ethnic divisions for political gain.

The conflict escalated in May when plans emerged to recognize the Meiteis as a Scheduled Tribe (ST), a status that the Kuki-Zo already hold. The status would grant the Meiteis affirmative action benefits, including reserved quotas for government jobs and college admissions.

Kuki-Zo groups protested these plans, fearing that their entitlements would be reduced, and the protests quickly spiraled into violence. Protesters previously set fire to vehicles and buildings, and Meitei mobs armed with guns and petrol cans attacked Kuki-Zo settlements in the hills.

Since the violence erupted, mobs have resorted to looting police stations, with reports of 3,000 weapons and 600,000 rounds of ammunition going missing, according to the Press Trust of India.

The state has fractured along ethnic lines, with rival Meitei and Kuki-Zo militias establishing blockades to prevent members of the opposing community from entering their territories. The clashes have claimed the lives of more than 150 people, though many in Manipur believe the death toll could be higher.

Likewise, approximately 60,000 people have been displaced, seeking refuge in relief centers or neighboring states; reprisal attacks have included the firebombing of homes and places of worship, with more than 220 churches and 17 Hindu temples destroyed by the end of July, according to reports.

Has Manipur experienced unrest before?

Yes, Manipur is one of the seven northeastern states of India situated between Bangladesh, China, and Myanmar and has long been a hotbed of separatism and ethnic tensions.

The region has a history of unrest, with an armed rebellion against Indian rule breaking out in the late 1970s; Manipuri rebels, feeling neglected by New Delhi, launched daily armed attacks on government facilities.

During the peak of the rebellion, around 20 armed groups were active in the state, resulting in the deaths of more than 10,000 people over two decades, up until 2010.

However, the state had seen relative calm since the last major rebel attack in 2015, when an ambush on a military convoy claimed the lives of about 20 soldiers.

The recent violence has however reignited demands from the Kuki-Zo community for a separate state administration, a demand strongly opposed by the Meitei, who comprise more than half of Manipur’s 2.8 million population, according to the 2011 census.

How has the government responded?

The govt has responded by deploying troops from other regions, imposing curfews, and enforcing an internet shutdown, still, sporadic violence has continued.

Indian Home Minister Amit Shah visited Manipur’s capital in June, calling for the return of weapons looted from police stations during the unrest and promising an “impartial investigation” into the violence.

However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has faced severe criticism for his silence on the conflict, only breaking it in July after a disturbing video emerged showing a mob parading two Kuki women naked. Modi had at the time of the incident expressed his “pain and anger” toward the event.

At the same time, Human Rights Watch has accused state authorities in Manipur, led by Modi’s BJP of deepening the conflict through “divisive policies that promote Hindu majoritarianism.”