Manipur CM calls drone bomb attacks terrorism, assures befitting response
New Delhi, Sep 3 : Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on Tuesday condemned the use of drones to drop bombs on civilians and security forces. Calling it an act of terrorism, he said a befitting response will be given to the 'cowardly' acts.
In a post on Tuesday, the CM said, "Dropping of bombs on civilian population and security forces by using drones is an act of terrorism and I condemn such cowardly acts in the strongest terms. Manipur state government takes such unprovoked assault with utmost seriousness and will take up necessary response to fight such forms of terrorism upon the indigenous population."
"We denounce all forms of violence, and the people of Manipur shall unite together against hate, division and separatism," said the CM in the post.
On Monday, three people, including a 23-year-old woman, were critically injured after the suspected Kuki militants launched attacks with drones at Senjam Chirang in Manipur's Imphal West district.
In separate bombings on Monday, the Kuki militants destroyed three bunkers of security forces in Imphal East district.
Police said that the Kuki militants dropped powerful bombs using drones seriously injuring Watham Sanatombi Devi and two others. All the injured were shifted to a hospital in Imphal, where doctors conducted urgent surgery on the woman.
Police also said that armed militants launched a violent attack at Sinam village in Imphal East. The militants used drones to drop powerful bombs on security posts destroying three bunkers and damaging properties belonging to the security forces.
Monday’s attack follows the violent attack at Koutruk, Kadangband, and Singda villages of Imphal West on Sunday, which left two persons, including a 32-year-old woman, dead and 10 others injured, including the woman’s 8-year-old daughter, at Koutruk village. The injured also included two security personnel and a local TV journalist, who was covering the attack.
A Manipur Police statement on Monday night said that there was mobilisation of armed miscreants in many places which had seen intense conflict in the past. After Sunday's militant attack, an alert was sounded and all forces, including the Central forces in their respective districts, have been conducting joint operations.
All forces in all 16 districts of the state are on high alert for 24 hours, the statement said. Joint operations were conducted in border areas between Churachandpur and Kakching districts, Churachandpur andBishnupur districts, Kangpokpi and Imphal West districts, Kangpokpi and ImphalEast districts, and Kakching and Tegnoupal districts.