Suspected militants burnt at least five abandoned houses at a village in Manipur’s Imphal West district before they were chased away by security forces, police said on Monday.

The militants had started firing indiscriminately from hilltops to the low-lying valley areas of Koutruk and neighbouring Kadangband from Sunday afternoon and managed to reach the outskirts of Koutruk village, a senior officer said.

 “Five abandoned houses were burnt by the militants. The residents had fled their homes after the gun and bomb attack that began around 2.30 pm on Sunday. The militants were pushed back by security forces on Sunday night,” the police officer told  .

 Two persons, including a woman, were killed and nine others injured on September 1 when the suspected militants launched the attack on people in the area.

Koutruk, located around 18 km from the state capital Imphal, has witnessed several attacks since ethnic violence in Manipur broke out in May last year.

The attack by suspected militants on Sunday caused widespread panic among the residents, forcing women, children and elderly people to flee to safer areas, the police said.    

The Manipur Police claimed that rocket-propelled grenades and drones were used in the attack.

An official statement about the gun-and-bomb attack said, “In an unprecedented attack in Koutruk, Imphal West, alleged militants have deployed numerous RPGs using high-tech drones. While drone bombs have commonly been used in general warfare, this recent deployment of drones to deploy explosives against security forces and civilians marks a significant escalation.”

The involvement of highly trained professionals, possibly with technical expertise and support, cannot be ruled out, it said.    

“Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, and the police are prepared to respond to any contingency that may arise,” the statement said.

 The state government appealed to people to maintain restraint.

  “Combing operations are ongoing to flush out any inimical elements,” the statement added.

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