Two children killed in suspected bomb attack by Kuki insurgents in Manipur, CM calls it barbaric

ITLF, a forum of Kuki civil society groups, rejected the allegation about involvement of Kukis in the attack.

Guwahati: In what came as a jolt to peace efforts, two minors including a five-month baby boy was killed in Manipur's Meitei-dominated Bishnupur district in an attack suspected to have been carried out by Kuki insurgents on Tuesday.

Police sources said the attack was carried out at around 1 am on a house at Moirang Tronglaobi village killing the two children asleep with their mother.

Bishnupur shares boundary with Kuki-dominated Churachandpur district.

According to local residents, a suspected projectile struck the house causing a powerful explosion that instantly claimed the lives of two young children. The blast damaged the house and left nearby residents in shock as villagers rushed to rescue those inside.

Security forces have cordoned off the area, with additional deployments rushed to the sensitive belt to prevent further escalation. Authorities are also conducting surveillance and search operations in nearby hill areas while monitoring other vulnerable villages located along the hill-valley boundary, said a source in Bishnupur.

Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), a forum of Kuki civil society groups, issued a statement at 10.15 am in which it rejected the allegation about involvement of the Kukis in the attack.

CM rushes to hospital

Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Tuesday morning rushed to a hospital at Imphal, where the mother of the two children was admitted. The woman was also injured in the attack.

"This barbaric act is an outright assault on humanity and a direct attempt to derail the hard-earned peace in Manipur. I condemn it in the strongest possible terms. Let there be no doubt, those responsible will be identified, hunted down, and dealt with firmly under the law. Such acts of terror will not be tolerated under any circumstances," Singh posted on social media.

My government stands resolute in protecting every citizen and will take all necessary measures to ensure that peace, order, and stability are not compromised. I urge the people to remain united and resolute against those who seek to disturb our collective harmony, it said.

Jolt to peace process

The attack comes at a time Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, who took charge on February 4, has been trying to end the conflict involving the Meitei and the Kuki that has roiled Manipur since May 2023.

Singh recently met leaders of the Kuki community, in Guwahati to find a solution to the conflict. The government is also trying for resettlement of the people displaced by the conflict.

But the Kukis have insisted that resettlement process should start after a political solution to the conflict is reached. They demand a separate administration in the form of a Union Territory comprising the Kuki-dominated districts to end the conflict.

Condemning the fresh attack, former Manipur CM N Biren Singh said, "Such a horrific act against civilians, especially young lives, is beyond condemnable."

"While efforts may be ongoing, such occurrences underline the need for more effective ground-level vigilance and timely intervention. I believe the authorities are at the job to bring the perpetrators to justice, and reinforce measures to safeguard civilians, Singh, who resigned as CM in February last year, posted on X.