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Manipur schools to remain closed on September 7 amid drone, rocket attacks
Drones are a new technology added recently to the weapons used in the violence between the two large ethnic groups – Meitei and Kuki – in Manipur.
The Manipur government on Friday ordered the closure of all schools across the state on September 7 amid escalating violence and unrest. The Directorate of Education issued an order stating that all government, private, and central schools will remain closed to ensure the safety of students and teachers.
“In view of the unrest and prevailing situation in the state and keeping in mind the saftey of the students and teachers, all government schools, government aided, private and central schools of the state will stay closed on the 7th of September, 2024,” the order read.
“All Zonal Education Officers under the Department of Education-Schools, Manipur are hereby directed to inform all concerned under their jurisdiction and take up necessary actions accordingly,” it added.
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Drone attacks in Manipur
This decision comes as the state grapples with heightened tensions following recent drone and gun attacks that have claimed civilian lives and left several others injured.
The unrest in Manipur escalated with a series of attacks in Bishnupur and Imphal West districts. On September 6, suspected militants launched a rocket attack in Moirang, Bishnupur district, killing an elderly man and injuring five others, including a 13-year-old girl.
The rocket struck the compound of former chief minister Mairembam Koireng’s residence, where the victim had been preparing for religious rituals. The incident occurred just two kilometres from the historic INA headquarters.
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Earlier in the day, militants launched another attack in Tronglaobi, damaging local structures but causing no casualties. Rockets fired from elevated positions in Churachandpur district targeted residential areas in Bishnupur, sparking a gunfight between militants and security forces.
In Senjam Chirang village, a series of drone strikes injured three members of a family, forcing local residents to flee their homes. A 65-year-old farmer, Watham Gambhir, and his family were targeted when explosives were dropped on their property. Gambhir described the terror as the drones followed them, even as they sought refuge under a tree.
The use of drones in these attacks is a new and alarming development in the long-standing conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities, which has already claimed over 200 lives since May last year.
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The attack in Koutruk village, which occurred on September 1, saw similar drone and gun assaults, killing two people and injuring nine others. The unprecedented use of drones to carry out bombings in civilian areas has raised concerns among officials and locals alike. Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh condemned the use of drones, calling the attacks an act of terrorism.
Rajya Sabha MP Sanajaoba Leishemba has constituted a high-level committee to investigate the use of high-tech drones by militants. The committee, comprising senior officials from the police and military, is tasked with studying the technology and methods used in these attacks. The committee's findings are expected to shed light on whether the drones were sourced from outside the country and how they were modified to carry out such precise and deadly strikes.
