After drones were used by suspected Kuki terrorists in Manipur, a long-range rocket was fired at the residence of former Chief Minister M C Koireng at Moirang Kumam in Bishnupur District on Friday afternoon. One person died and five others were injured as a result of the attack by what has been described as a ‘crude rocket’.
The deceased has been identified as 70-year-old priest RK Rabei of Moirang Pheewangbam Leikai. He was reportedly struck by the suspected crude rocket while preparing for an Asti ceremony at the former CM’s residence. The injured persons are 13-year-old Sherina Mairenbam, 51-year-old Konjenbam Jugendro, 58-year-old Rajeev alias Bobo, 40-year-old Salam Nanao and 62-year-old Ngangom Ibobi.
Priest Rabei was offering prayers when shrapnel from the rocket hit his head, killing him on the spot, locals said.
The attack was carried out by armed Kuki groups, as per reports. This is the first time that the militant groups in the state used a surface-to-surface missile in the ongoing violence that started last year in Manipur. According to the sources, the rocket had a range of 10 km and it was locally made.
The rocket was launched from Kuki-dominated Churachandpur hills, targeting the former CM M C Koireng’s residence located at Sendra in Bishnupur, reports stated. The rocket struck the house of Manipur’s first Chief Minister Mairembam Koireng Singh, just 100 metres away from the Indian National Army (INA) Museum in the heart of Moirang town, on the banks of the northeast’s largest freshwater lake Loktak.
It is also suspected that the INA Museum dedicated to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was the likely target of the rocket attack.
September has seen the resurgence of violence in Manipur, and this was the second rocket attack in the state on Friday. As per reports, armed men fired RPGs from the hillside causing extensive damage to private property at Tronglaobi in Bishnupur district. Two structures were damaged by the rockets, but nobody was injured. After the RPG attack, intense crossfire erupted between the armed attackers and security forces who swiftly responded to the attack.
The rocket attacks come just days after bombs were dropped by Kuki militants using drones on a Meitei village in Imphal West district, killing two civilians and injuring many others. Insurgents had entered Koutruk village disguised as emergency services personnel in an ambulance and opened fire on the people in the village, apart from dropping bombs using drones. Apart from drones, long-range snipper rifles were also used in the attack.
