Rocket fired at CM's residence in Manipur, attacks leave one dead and five injured

Militants fired rockets at two locations on Friday, including the residence of Manipur’s first chief minister, resulting in the death of one individual and injuring five others. The assault marks the first documented use of rockets since violence erupted in the region 17 months ago and comes just days after drones were first weaponised in the ongoing strife.

The incident occurred around 3:30 PM when a rocket, seemingly launched from an improvised launcher, struck former chief minister Mairembam Koireng Singh’s home in Moirang. The projectile landed dangerously close to the house, killing 72-year-old RK Rabei Singh, a Meitei man who was preparing for religious rituals. Among the injured were five relatives of the former chief minister, including a 13-year-old girl.

Earlier in the day, at around 4 AM, two buildings in Tronglaobi village were also attacked with similar weaponry, although no injuries were reported in that instance.

A Mobile Forensic Unit from the Directorate of Forensic Science, Manipur, was deployed to collect evidence following the rocket strike in the Moirang area. Security officials indicated that the rockets were fired from nearly five kilometres away, specifically from the Kuki-dominated Churachandpur hills.

The surge in violence prompted the Manipur administration to order the closure of all educational institutions on Saturday as a precautionary measure. The ongoing ethnic clashes between the Kuki and Meitei communities, which began on May 3, 2023, have intensified, with militants increasingly resorting to sophisticated weaponry.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh condemned the use of drone bombs, labelling them “acts of terrorism.” He assured the public that security forces are on high alert, particularly in the valley districts bordering Churachandpur and Kangpokpi, and are preparing to counteract the escalating violence.

As the conflict continues, authorities are grappling with the unprecedented use of homemade explosives in an alarming shift in tactics by militant groups operating in the region.

A senior officer revealed that the rockets fired on Friday measured at least four feet in length. “It seems the explosives were filled in a galvanized iron (GI) pipe. The GI pipes with explosives were then fitted in a country-made rocket launcher and fired simultaneously. For now, we cannot pinpoint the exact spot in the hills from where they were fired,” the officer stated.

Another officer noted that for the projectile to travel a longer distance, militants would need to adjust the volume of the explosives, suggesting that they have been practicing this during the recent months of relative calm.

In light of the unrest, the Manipur government issued a notification stating, “In view of unrest and the prevailing situation in the state and keeping in mind the safety of students and teachers, all government and private schools, central schools will stay closed on September 7.”