Drone Bombings Spark Terror in Imphal West, Arms Recovered
Drone bombings in Imphal West by suspected Kuki militants; no casualties reported. Security forces recover arms cache
Guwahati: In what has created terror among residents, two bombs, suspected to have been dropped by drones, exploded at Kangchup Phayeng in Imphal West on Tuesday night.
Informing that there was no casualty, police said that in a related development security forces recovered a large cache of arms, explosives, and ammunition from the fringe areas of Aigejang and Leimaram Uyok Ching in Bishnupur district on Wednesday.
About the suspected drone attack, police said that Kuki militants are suspected to be behind the drone attack in Imphal West. “Two bombs exploded around 9.27 pm and 9.30 pm, respectively, suspected to have been dropped from drones. The explosions occurred approximately 15 feet away from a temporary security barrack and sentry post of the Manipur police,” police said, adding that this is the first drone bombing incident of 2025.
Pointing out that a similar attack occurred in the village on November 11, 2024, security sources said that a team of forensic experts have been carrying out an investigation at the site and recovered fragments of the bombs. “Propellers from the drones were recovered at the scene, attached to a ring,” security sources said.
Pointing out that for past few days residents from Kangchup v, a Meitei-dominated village claimed to have spotted drones flying over the area frequently, security sources said, “Manipur police commandos, along with Lamshang police, responded to the scene. However, no further gunfire was reported. We are taking necessary security measures to prevent any untoward incidents.”
Security sources also clarified that villagers may have spotted surveillance drones too so there was no reason to panic.
Meanwhile, in a joint operation, state and central security forces recovered a cache of arms, explosives, and ammunition, including an SLR rifle with a magazine, a 51 mm mortar tube launcher, a sniper rifle, three 40 mm lathode shells, four SLR live rounds, four 36 HE grenades, a smoke bomb, two wireless sets, cartridges, rubber bullets, and shells, from the fringe areas of Aigejang and Leimaram Uyok Ching.