Manipur: Drone Bombs Strike Koutruk; Govt Orders Combing Ops After Deadly Attack

IMPHAL: A deadly and shocking attack at the village of Koutruk in Manipur, where advanced drones dropped bombs, killing two people and wounding nine more, has sent Manipur into high alert. The brazen attack on September 1 was a spine-chilling escalation of the ongoing ethnic violence that shook the state since May last year.

The Manipur government acted quickly after the attack and ordered Commissioner Home N Ashok Kumar to instruct the state police to conduct intensive combing and sanitization operations along the borders of Imphal West district. In light of growing apprehension over the fast deteriorating security situation in the region, this zone was between Keithelmanbi in Kangpokpi district to Koutruk in Imphal West and has been a flashpoint where repeated attacks have taken place, covering 32 kilometers.

Kumar then wrote a strongly worded letter to the DGP, pressing for immediate, strong action to nab the attackers in the gun-and-bomb attack. In the wake of recent incidents that have disrupted the general law and order situation in fringe areas bordering the Imphal West district, and the need felt to continue the preventive measures, I request you to kindly take necessary action to conduct combing operations and sanitization of areas, Kumar wrote, as he underlined the paramount importance of vigilance to avoid further acts of violence.

The militants attacked from hillsides, firing indiscriminately at the low-lying valley areas of Koutruk and the neighboring village of Kadangband, the police report. The attack was not only carried out with small arms fire but also with the help of rocket-propelled grenades and explosives sent by drones-a tactic that no doubt alarms the security operations of the region.

The scattering of explosives with the help of drones at the security forces as well as civilians is an entirely new turn of events in Manipur and signals a dangerous new phase in the conflict. "The attack marked a significant escalation," said an official statement, adding, "The likelihood of highly trained professionals with technical expertise being involved in it cannot be ruled out." According to police sources, as many as five bombs were dropped from drones during the attack and caused considerable damage to homes in Koutruk.

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