IMPHAL: Violence broke out in Manipur’s Bishnupur district on Tuesday as protests over the killing of two children in a bomb attack intensified. Several demonstrators were reportedly injured in firing by security forces. In response to the escalating unrest, authorities imposed a temporary suspension of internet and mobile data services in five districts — Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Kakching, and Bishnupur.Public outrage intensified in the Moirang Tronglaobi area after a five-year-old boy and a six-month-old girl were killed when suspected militants hurled a bomb at their house around 1am. The children and their mother were asleep when the explosion ripped through the room, leaving the mother injured.By morning, large groups of residents took to the streets, blocking roads and targeting police infrastructure. Protesters torched vehicles, including two oil tankers and a truck near a petrol pump, and set fire to tires outside the Moirang police station. A makeshift police outpost was also vandalised, and the gate of the police station was damaged amid the unrest.As tensions spiraled, security forces were deployed to control the situation. Officials said firing was carried out to disperse the crowd as clashes intensified, leaving several protesters injured. The situation remains tense, with additional forces deployed across the area.The attack has drawn sharp condemnation from chief minister Y Khemchand Singh, who termed it a “barbaric act” and “an outright assault on humanity.” He assured that those responsible would be identified and dealt with firmly under the law.Police said an explosive device was also recovered from a nearby location, raising concerns about further threats in the region.The incident has reignited fears in the low-lying Tronglaobi area, which lies close to the hill districts and witnessed repeated gunfire during the ethnic conflict between Meitei and Kuki-Zo groups in 2023 and 2024. The violence, which has claimed over 260 lives so far, continues to cast a long shadow over the state.Local MLA Th Shanti Singh condemned the attack, calling it an act of terrorism and expressing grief over the loss of the two children.Authorities have urged residents to remain calm even as investigations continue and security has been tightened across the district.
