Manipur Crisis Escalates: Bloodshed in Jiribam After Rocket Attacks in Bishnupur

"We are living in constant fear. We don't know whose house will be the next target," said a Meitei local.

Keisham Ibemhal is overcome with debilitating anxiety over when and where the next bomb will fall.

Her brother-in-law narrowly escaped the rocket that hit the toilet of his house in Meitei-dominated Tronglaobi village, roughly 45 km from Imphal, in Manipur's Bishnupur district on Friday, 6 September.

"I am currently taking shelter at my uncle's place in Torbung. We are living in constant fear; we don't know whose house will be the next target. Despite our plight, the government has failed to provide us security," Ibemhal told The Quint.

Less than a week after drone attacks rocked Imphal West, back-to-back rocket and bomb attacks hit Bishnupur district on Friday, 6 September. In the second attack, a 78-year-old Meitei man died in the Moirang Bazar area of the district.

Almost 24 hours later, six people were killed in gun violence during the early hours of Saturday, 7 September in Jiribam, a district on Manipur's border with Assam, in what appeared to be a retaliatory attack.

Activists based in tribal Kuki-dominated Churachandpur district told The Quint that tensions continue to be high in Jiribam even on the night of 8 September, with frequent exchanges of gunfire occurring throughout the weekend.

• Instances of gun violence were also reported in Sugnu in Kakching district.

• Kuki groups also stated that a drone bomb was dropped in G Songgel village in Churachandpur district, but no one was killed or injured.

• Gun violence was also reported in Kangvai in Churachandpur district. Regarding this, Manipur Police issued a statement saying, "Police teams and additional security forces have been rushed in to conduct combing operations in the hill ranges adjoining the area. Two bunkers at Mualsang village and one bunker at Laika Mualsau village of Churachandpur were destroyed."

The spread of fake news has also been rampant. On 3 September, Arnab Goswami, editor-in-chief of Republic TV, during his prime-time debate show showed artillery rockets developed by the military arm of Hamas as rockets used by the Kukis.

The Quint's Webqoof team fact-checked his claims, which can be read here.

In a statement issued on the night of 8 September, Manipur Police said, "A total of 98 nakas/checkpoints were installed in different districts of Manipur, both in the hill and the valley (areas), and police detained 164 persons in connection with violations in different districts of the state."

Casualties Mount

At 4.30 am on Friday, 6 September, a rocket was fired by suspected Kuki militants at Tronglaobi village in the Meitei-dominated Bishnupur district from the nearby hill areas of Churachandpur. According to the police, the range of the rocket was estimated to be over 3 km. No deaths or injuries were reported in the attack. However, a community hall and an empty room were damaged, according to the police.

"The bomb fired by the militants struck my next-door neighbour's toilet. If it had hit our house, none of us would have survived," Keisham Thoibi, a relative of Keisham Ibemhal, told The Quint.

Visuals that went viral show locals inspecting what looks like the rocket that hit Tronglaobi village.

The second attack occurred around 3 pm in Moirang Bazar in Bishnupur district. An elderly man, RK Rabei Singh, who was working for a ritual in a nearby house, was reportedly hit by splinters from a bomb and died on the spot.

Viral videos showed Rabei Singh's body lying motionless and bleeding profusely.

The attack was launched towards a residential area, and it fell on the compound of former chief minister Mairembam Koireng’s residence.

A local reporter told The Quint that Rabei Singh was preparing for a Phiroi (first death anniversary) of a member of the former chief minister's family. While he was working, the rocket hit a wall in the compound and exploded, killing Rabei Singh instantly.

Manipur Police issued a statement saying,

"Kuki militants have deployed long-range rockets among the civilian population in two locations of Bishnupur District, in one of which one senior citizen civilian, RK Rabei Singh (78) of Moirang Phiwangbam Leikai, expired and six other civilians were injured in Moirang Khoiru Leikai, Bishnupur district."

A forensic team arrived to examine what appeared to be an improvised rocket.

The injured were taken to RIMS (Regional Institute of Medical Sciences) in Imphal.

A day later, in Jiribam, a 63-year-old Meitei man named Yurembam Kulendra Singha was shot dead by suspected Kuki militants around 5 am in Ningthem Khunou village. What followed was retaliatory gunfire leading to the deaths of four Kukis – Lhunkhohao Haokip, Haogoulen Doungel, Seiminlen Khongsai, and Nehboithang Haokip.

Viral videos show militants standing around at least three dead bodies, believed to be of the Kukis mentioned above while filming the site.

Their bodies are being taken to Churachandpur for the burials. The Quint has been unable to establish contact with the families of the deceased due to the ongoing firing.

The state police's statement noted,

"Further, ensuing the incident, there was exchange of heavy firing between different groups at the Tea Estate of Rashidpur Part-II, Jiribam. Police teams had rushed toward the site to control the firing but was fired upon. The police teams, however, retaliated the fire and could eventually control the situation. A total of five dead bodies were found at the firing incident site at Tea Estate of Rashidpur Part-II."

The statement added that "the fifth body, who was identified as Baspatimayum Lakhi Kumar Sharma (41), was a member of UNLF (P), a resident of Dibong Khunou, Jiribam district."

The United National Liberation Front (UNLF) is a separatist insurgent group active in the state. The Pambei faction of the UNLF had inked an agreement with the Union government last year, details of which can be read here.

Jiribam, which is a mixed district consisting of both Meiteis and Kukis in significant numbers, had remained a site of peace despite the ongoing violence in other parts of the state. However, the alleged killing of a 59-year-old Meitei farmer on 6 June, weeks after the body of a missing teenage Kuki-Zo boy was discovered in the Jiri River, allegedly led to retaliatory attacks and the consequent displacement of about 2,000 people, many of whom fled to the relief camps in Assam's Cachar district.

The Quint visited some of the families in these camps. The video report is attached below.

Kuki Groups Condemn Jiribam Killings

A statement issued on 7 September by Kuki Inpi Manipur, the apex body of the Kuki tribes, condemned the "recent, horrific attacks on the Kuki-Zo community in G Songgel Village" and asserted that the "use of the two-inch mortal bombs by the Meiteis... yet again represents a glaring example of the complicity of the Manipur state government."

Kuki Inpi Manipur's statement added that it was "deeply anguished by the killing of four Kuki-Zo volunteers" in the ambush at Tea Estate of Rashidpur Part-II, Jiribam.

Additionally, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum – or ITLF – issued a statement asserting that "Meitei militants launched a multi-pronged attack on Kuki-Zo areas in the past two days in an effort to divert attention from the leaked audio tapes of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh which proved his involvement in the ethnic cleansing of Kuki-Zo tribals in the state."

Additionally, protests erupted on Saturday at the Motbung model village in Kangpokpi against the removal of 9 and 22 Assam Rifles from Kuki-Zo areas, with one leader underscoring that the lives and safety of the Kuki-Zo people rest in the hands of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Anger in the Valley

Anger against the Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh-led government has been rising since the drone attacks rocked Imphal West district.

The COCOMI (Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity) issued a five-day ultimatum to the central forces deployed in Manipur, demanding action against Kuki militants allegedly behind the drone attack that killed a 31-year-old woman in Koutruk village in early September.

After the bomb attacks in Bishnupur, COCOMI called for a public emergency, with its spokesperson stating:

"We have lost trust in the security forces. If we want to live, we have to find our own way. Today we are announcing a public emergency. We know some central forces are collaborating with Kuki militants. They are not taking any action, even after attacking with missiles."

Shortly after, the Manipur government called for all schools and colleges to be shut on 7 September.

Biren Singh met the state's Governor Lakshman Acharya on both Saturday and Sunday.

On Saturday, ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs of the state met in the evening, after which Biren Singh went to the Raj Bhavan and met the Governor alone, triggering rumours about his resignation. Then, on Sunday evening, the chief minister, along with the MLAs and ministers met the Governor again. The details of the meeting are unknown.

The Manipur government has also requested the Centre to take steps that they have suggested in an eight-point memorandum. According to reports, on this list is a demand for "adequate powers and responsibilities to the elected state government as per the Constitution by handing over the Unified Command."

Amid rising discontentment, protests broke out in Imphal on Sunday night. Marching crowds carried flaming torches and walked towards the Governor's house but were dispersed by the security forces stationed.

The list of slogans for the protest includes the demand to remove DGP Manipur Rajiv Singh and security advisor and head of the Unified Command Kuldiep Singh.

Videos showed tear gas being employed by security forces to repel the protesters.

Anti-Drone System to Counter Attacks

Security forces last week gave demonstrations of an anti-drone system at work.

Manipur Police said in a statement, "AR (Assam Rifles) has deployed a few anti-drone systems in the state at fringe areas to repel any rogue drones. CRPF has also tested one anti-drone system and given it to the force deployed in the state. The state police have also started the process for procurement of anti-drone system..."

Additionally, in response to the deteriorating law and order situation, Manipur Police on 4 September "purchased few 7.62mm MMG MK 2A1" machine guns from the Ordnance Factory in Jabalpur.

(Inputs from Achom Binod Singh.)

For more than a year, Manipur has been torn apart by ethnic violence. Hundreds have died, and thousands have been displaced, with their future still uncertain. The Quint has been relentlessly reporting on the conflict in pursuit of facts, untold stories, and the truth. Apart from the risks involved in reporting from a conflict-ridden area, such reports require both time and resources. YOUR support helps us in our endeavour.

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