Drone attack strikes West Imphal again: 3 of a family injured in Senjam Chirang

Imphal, Sept 3: A day after a woman was killed and 10 people, including her minor daughter, were injured in a drone attack by militants on Sunday, a similar attack injured three members of a family at Senjam Chirang in Imphal West district on Monday evening.

The injured have been identified as Watham Gambhir (65), his daughter Sanatombi (23), and his younger brother, Jotin (56).

The drone attack, the second in the district within two days, was carried out around 6:20 pm, with three bombs were dropped on the civilian population in and around the village.

One of the bombs reportedly got stuck on the roof of Gambhir’s residence, while another fell in the alley beside his house.

The third bomb exploded near a riverbank. In the blast, Gambhir’s daughter Sanatombi was struck by a splinter in her stomach and was rushed to Raj Medicity. Later, she was referred to Shija Hospital at 7:40 pm.

Gambhir’s younger brother, Jotin, also sustained a minor injury to his shoulder in the blast. He was given first aid at the Senjam Chirang dispensary and later discharged.

“We thought peace had returned, but around 5 pm on Monday, a situation similar to Koutruk suddenly unfolded here in Sinam. It was evident that this was a premeditated, well-planned attack on our village. The large-scale bombing using drones and gunfire was terrifying; we are fortunate to have escaped alive. How long can we continue to live like this? We want to know how long CM Biren will leave us to suffer like this. We've reached the limit of our endurance, and now, we fear for our children's future,” Huyam Omila, a resident of Senjam Chirang, told The Assam Tribune.

The deployment of drones by militants to carry out attacks has posed a new challenge for security personnel trying to contain violence in the area and restore normalcy.

Earlier on Sunday, militants attacked Koutruk Ching Leikai and Kadangband Part-1 by dropping bombs from drones, resulting in the death of a woman and injuring more than ten others, including a child and a journalist.

Following Sunday’s attack, security agencies issued a statement describing the incident as "unprecedented" and alleged that "Kuki militants are responsible for it”.

The statement alleged that Kuki militants utilised high-tech drones to deploy numerous rocket-propelled granades (RPGs).

It also noted that while drone bombs have been commonly used in general warfare, this recent use of drones to deliver explosives against security forces and civilians "marked a significant escalation".

"The involvement of highly trained professionals, possibly with technical expertise and support, cannot be ruled out. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, and the police are prepared to respond to any contingency that may arise," the statement added.

The investigation agencies have also not ruled out the involvement of Myanmar-based rebels.