Militants launch rocket attacks on Manipur ex-CM’s home, kill one

GUWAHATI: Suspected tribal militants launched rocket attacks in Manipur’s Bishnupur district on Friday, killing one person and wounding five others, including a minor girl.
One rocket landed in the home of the state’s first chief minister Mairembam Koireng, killing 70-year-old priest RK Rabei.
The former CM’s house is just 100 metres away from the headquarters of Indian National Army (INA), where on April 14, 1944, Lt Col Shaukat Ali hoisted the Tricolour for the first time on Indian soil.
Police said Rabei of Moirang Pheewangbam Leikai, was struck by splinters from the rocket, while he was preparing for a religious ceremony at the ex-CM’s residence.
The injured were identified as Sherina Mairenbam (13), Konjenbam Jugendro (51), Rajeev alias Bobo (58), Salam Nanao (40) and Ngangom Ibobi (62)
The first of a kind crude rocket attack, since the beginning of the conflict in May last year, follows back-to-back mortar attacks from drones in Imphal East and Imphal West districts on Sept 1 and Sept 2 that destroyed IRB barracks.
Earlier in the day, two rockets landed at another nearby locality, Tronglaobi, in which two houses were damaged. “The rockets were fired from an elevated position in the nearby hill areas toward the low-lying residential locality of Tronglaobi, located around 45 km from Imphal,” a security source said. The rocket attacks have led to widespread anger in the valley districts, with the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (Cocomi) declaring a “public emergency”.
Blaming the government for providing security to the common people, Cocomi said all schools, colleges and educational institutions must be shut indefinitely till the situation improves.