At least seven people have been killed, and 15 others were injured as a fresh spate of violence erupted in Manipur's Jiribam district. As per police, suspected Kuki insurgents attacked Nungchappi village in the district, killing a 63-year-old man identified as Yurembam Kulendra Singha. The attack came a day after an elderly man from the valley-dominant Meitei community was killed while offering prayers, in a rocket-propelled bomb attack by Kuki insurgents in Manipur's Moirang town. The five others were reportedly also killed in a gunfight between armed groups of the Meitei community and the hill-dominant Kuki tribes.
Amid violence, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh met Governor L. Acharya on Saturday evening and briefed him on the situation. CM's meeting with LG came after an emergency meeting of ruling coalition MLAs and ministers at the CM secretariat to discuss the prevailing law and order situation in the state. As per reports, 25 MLAs from the ruling coalition, comprising the BJP, Naga People's Front, and National Peoples Party (NPP), attended the meeting with CM to discuss the prevailing law and order situation in the state.
Meanwhile, Manipur Police has deployed anti-drone systems in response to recent drone and rocket attacks on civilians. Security forces on Saturday also gave a demonstration of an anti-drone system. This comes days after a man was killed in weaponised drone attacks launched by suspected Kuki insurgents from the hills near the valley district Imphal West. The attacks, which the Manipur Police said were carried out by suspected Kuki insurgents, were the first recorded use of weaponised drones to drop bombs on civilians by suspected insurgents in India.
Briefing reporters about the technology, Inspector General of police (Intelligence) K Kabib said a robust anti-drone system has been deployed and police are in the process of buying additional weapons to counter the attacks on civilians. "The state force is closely monitoring the situation and senior officers have been deployed on the ground. Due to the recent drone attacks, an anti-drone system has been deployed and the state police are in the process of purchasing additional anti-drone guns, which will be deployed soon," he said.
He added that army helicopters are conducting aerial patrols, and security personnel have been deployed in vulnerable areas. Meanwhile, the police has intensified combing operations on both sides—hills and valley—focusing on areas from which long-range rockets and drones were fired. These operations will cover a minimum of 3-5 km, concentrating on these areas, with an aim to prevent any further attacks.