Drones sighted in Manipur, people turn off lights at home

People in peripheral areas of Bishnupur and Imphal East districts of Manipur turned off their lights on Friday night, 6 September following sightings of multiple drones, officials said.

Drones were employed by militants to drop bombs on people at two nearby places in Imphal West district earlier this week.

On Friday night, multiple drones were sighted at Narainsena, Nambol Kamong in Bishnupur district and Pukhao, Dolaithabi, Shantipur in Imphal East district creating panic in the areas, the officials said.

Panicked villagers turned off lights at home.

Security forces are on high alert in peripheral areas to monitor the movement of large groups of people, an official said.

Several illumination rounds were fired in the sky in Bishnupur district creating panic and confusion among the public. It was not clear if security forces or others had fired those.

The use of drones as a weapon was first noticed in Manipur on 1 September in Koutruk village in Imphal West district. In the attack in which guns were also used, two persons were killed and nine others were injured.

The remote-controlled small flying device was employed again in Senjam Chirang, around three km away, the next day, injuring three persons.