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Rocket Attack Claims Two Young Lives
A five-year-old boy and his five-month-old sister were killed early Tuesday when suspected militants fired a rocket-propelled grenade at their home in Manipur’s Bishnupur district .
The attack occurred around 1:00 am in Tronglaobi Awang Leikai village, Moirang, a low-lying area situated along the sensitive boundary between the Meitei-dominated valley and Kuki-Zomi-dominated hills . The children—identified as a five-year-old boy and his infant sister—were asleep with their mother, Oinam Binita, when the device detonated inside their bedroom . Binita, a nurse who had returned to Manipur from Guwahati in January on maternity leave, sustained serious shrapnel injuries and is receiving treatment at Raj Medicity in Imphal . Her husband, Oinam Mangalsana, is a BSF soldier currently posted in Bihar .
Local authorities also recovered a live rocket-propelled grenade shell connected to a device a few meters from the attack site, which was defused safely .
Protests Turn Violent, Two More Killed
As news of the children’s deaths spread, Bishnupur erupted in protest. Hundreds of locals took to the streets, enforcing road blockades by burning tyres and setting fire to three trucks, including two oil tankers .
Protesters also blocked the Moirang police station by piling burning logs at the gate, damaged a temporary police outpost, and burned down the station gate .
The situation escalated further when a large mob marched toward a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp situated near the Bishnupur-Churachandpur border. Security personnel fired upon the protesters, resulting in the deaths of two individuals, with eight others sustaining serious injuries .
Internet Suspended, Curfew Imposed
To maintain law and order, the state government issued an order suspending mobile data and internet services for three days across five valley districts: Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Kakching, and Bishnupur . A curfew was also imposed in certain sensitive areas, and security forces have been deployed to control the situation .
Most educational institutes remained closed on Tuesday as the situation remained tense in the area .
Official Response and Investigation
Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh rushed to Raj Medicity to assess the condition of the injured mother and directed that she receive the highest standard of medical care .
“This barbaric act is an outright assault on humanity and a direct attempt to derail the hard-earned peace in Manipur,” the Chief Minister said. “Let there be no doubt, those responsible will be identified, hunted down, and dealt with firmly under the law. Such acts of terror will not be tolerated under any circumstances” .
The case has been handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for a thorough probe .
Historical Context
Tronglaobi is located close to Churachandpur district, a hotbed of Kuki militancy. The Manipur crisis began in the district on May 3, 2023, and the area has frequently witnessed similar violence since ethnic tensions broke out between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities .
Since May 2023, ethnic violence has claimed over 260 lives and displaced more than 60,000 people across the state .
