A quiet village night turned into a nightmare, and by sunrise, grief, anger, and fear had taken over. Fresh violence in Manipur has once again shaken the fragile calm, after a suspected bomb attack tore through a civilian home, killing two small children and leaving their mother battling for life.
The attack happened in the early hours of April 7 at Tronglaobi Awang Leikai in Moirang, located along the sensitive hill-valley boundary.
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What began as an ordinary night for one family suddenly turned into tragedy when a projectile, believed to have been fired from nearby hill areas, slammed into their house.
The residence belonged to Oinam Malemnganba, a Border Security Force personnel posted outside the state. Inside the house were his wife, 37-year-old Oinam Ongbi Binita, their five-year-old son, and their five-month-old infant daughter. Within seconds, the blast caused heavy structural damage and left all three critically injured.
Children die, mother fights for life
Residents said a loud explosion echoed across the village, triggering panic. The injured were rushed to a hospital in Imphal, but the two children succumbed during treatment. Binita is currently undergoing treatment for splinter injuries and remains critical.
Officials said the attack took place around 1 am, when the family was asleep. The explosive device reportedly struck directly, turning the quiet residential lane into a scene of chaos.
The chief minister condemned the incident, calling it a “barbaric act” and “an outright assault on humanity.” He warned that those responsible would be identified and “hunted down,” adding that such acts of terror would not be tolerated under any circumstances.
Anger spills onto streets after blast
Grief quickly turned into anger. Soon after the incident, locals staged protests and torched two oil tankers and a truck near a petrol pump in the area. Tyres were burnt outside the Moirang Police Station, and a makeshift police outpost was reportedly damaged.
The violence added to tensions in the valley districts. Protesters gathered in large numbers, demanding strict action against those responsible. Security forces rushed in to control the situation. Additional deployment was ordered in sensitive areas.
Local MLA Thongam Shanti condemned the attack and demanded immediate action. Authorities appealed for calm.
As tensions escalated, several schools across valley districts remained closed on April 7 as a precaution.