Suspected militants launched a gun-and-bomb attack that killing two people including a woman and injuring nine others on Sunday in Manipur's Imphal West district.
Police reported that the militants fired from hilltops into the Koutruk and Kadangband areas, resulting in the death of the woman and injuries to nine people including her eight-year-old daughter and a police officer. Several houses were also damaged due to heavy shelling by the militants, they added.
The sudden assault on the unsuspecting village caused widespread panic, forcing many residents, including women, children, and the elderly, to flee to safer areas, police added.
The body of the deceased woman, identified as 31-year-old Ngangbam Surbala Devi, has been taken to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) for post-mortem examination.
Devi's daughter and police officer N. Robert, 30, are hospitalized at RIMS, while two others are recovering at Raj Medicity.
The victims were at home during the attack.
Hospital officials reported that among the nine injured, five had bullet wounds and others had splinter injuries from bomb explosions affected the others.
Security forces, including state and central units, have been deployed in the area to stabilise the situation.
The state government has strongly condemned the attack on unarmed villagers of Koutruk.
"The state government has learnt about the unfortunate incident of attack on unarmed Koutruk villagers using drone, bombs and sophisticated weapons reportedly by Kuki militants causing death of two persons including one women. Such act of terrorising upon unarmed villagers is viewed very seriously by the state government, when it is putting all possible efforts towards bringing normalcy and peace in the state," a statement by the Home Department said.
It added that such act of creating havoc among unarmed villagers is seen as an attempt to derail the efforts taken by state government to establish peace in the state.
"The state government has already taken up immediate action to control the situation and to punish those who were involved in the attack on Koutruk Village, Imphal West," the statement added.
Meanwhile, the DGP has instructed all SPs to remain on maximum alert in all fringe areas.
(With PTI inputs)
