Manipur on edge as terror groups target civilians with drones and rockets

Hostile forces in Manipur are working to ensure the situation takes a turn for the worse and mass civil disturbance takes place.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

Armed groups allegedly owing allegiance to the Kuki community who came from Myanmar, allegedly targeted civilians residing in Meitei areas, using drones and rockets.

Meitei groups have claimed that the narco and terror groups belonging to Kuki community have carried out these attacks on civilians and despite the Central forces, especially the Assam Army, being informed about such groups, the forces have failed to take steps to arrest these groups, leading to Meitei groups alleging a tacit understanding between these Kuki terror groups and the Central forces.

Representatives of Meitei groups on Saturday told The Sunday Guardian that on 1 September and 2 September, at least 50 bombs were dropped on different Meitei civilian population clusters using drones. However, only two instances, in which people were injured and fatally wounded, were reported in the media.

On Friday, in two separate incidents, alleged Myanmar Kuki terrorists used longrange rockets at two places in Bishnupur district, killing one person and injuring six others.

On Saturday, at least five people were killed in Jiribam district. While one person was shot dead in his sleep, the other four were killed in a subsequent exchange of fire between people from two warring communities in Jiribam. The state has so far witnessed the death of at least 200 people in the ethnic violence that started in May last year.

Failure to contain violence and the growing anger that may spill out on the street could make the continuance of Chief Minister Biren Singh, who also holds the Home portfolio, and top police officials, including security advisors, who have been given a long rope so far by Delhi, untenable.

Local media editorials too, apart from the Meitei groups, have stepped up their demand for the removal of these entities.

The recent attack on Meitei civilian areas was executed from hilly areas surrounding the state, which are mostly dominated by Kuki armed groups.