MAKE IN MANIPUR
THE WEEK India|September 29, 2024
Home-made rockets and weapons from across the border are escalating the conflict
JAVED PARVESH
MAKE IN MANIPUR

It was like a sonic boom. I had gone inside the It house seconds before it happened. When I ran back out, I found the priest lying there, covered in blood. Splinters were everywhere, and my sister was injured, too," recounted M. Kelvin Singh, great-grandson of Manipur's first elected chief minister and Indian National Army freedom fighter Mairembam Koireng Singh.

On September 6, a rocket launched from the Kuki-dominated hills of Churachandpur struck the Meitei town of Moirang in Bishnupur district. The attack resulted in the death of a priest who was performing a ritual at the former chief minister's residence, adjacent to the INA Museum. The rocket struck a wall, causing it to collapse, and the resulting splinters caused damage to nearby areas. The priest was fatally injured by one of these splinters.

The attack signalled a dangerous new chapter in Manipur's ethnic strife. In the earlier phases of the conflict, most casualties occurred during gunfights on the fringes. But, the latest wave of violence has seen a sharp increase in civilian deaths and injuries to minors, signalling a grave humanitarian crisis. With the use of improvised rockets, armed drones and heavy weaponry, even those living 5km to 10km from the conflict zones realise with chilling clarity that no one is safe any more. In response, paramilitary forces and the Indian Army have expanded their dominance deeper into fringe areas, bracing for the threat posed by longer range weapons.

Just days before the rocket attack in Moirang, on September 1, terror struck Meitei-dominated Koutruk village in Imphal West. Over 40 bombs were reportedly dropped from drones that flew in from the Kuki-dominated hills of Kangpokpi. The bombing was accompanied by a deadly sniper attack. Two lives were lost, including that of a woman.

This story is from the September 29, 2024 edition of THE WEEK India.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the September 29, 2024 edition of THE WEEK India.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM THE WEEK INDIAView All
Is bridal wear on the wane?
THE WEEK India

Is bridal wear on the wane?

So many guests walked out of Sabyasachi's grand 25th year celebration in Mumbai last weekend, a little confused, even outraged. How can India's most famous bridal wear designer not showcase a single bridal outfit? Guests were underwhelmed, or disappointed, unable to wrap their coiffed heads around the fact that India is changing, and fashion is now more than a lehenga.

time-read
2 mins  |
February 09, 2025
The wedding goes slim
THE WEEK India

The wedding goes slim

So Jeet Adani is to have a 'traditional and simple' wedding sans celebrities or media glare. His father told the press that the auspicious date was finalised during a visit by the Adani family to the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj, where the muhurat was decided in the presence of vedic scholars.

time-read
2 mins  |
February 09, 2025
INTO THE MOCHA-VERSE
THE WEEK India

INTO THE MOCHA-VERSE

Did Pantone get it right with its colour of the year 2025?

time-read
4 mins  |
February 09, 2025
The art is in the right place
THE WEEK India

The art is in the right place

Joining a growing league of India's privately-owned museums is Sarmaya, a modern space that chronicles historic journeys

time-read
4 mins  |
February 09, 2025
New words for old feelings
THE WEEK India

New words for old feelings

At a recent literary festival in Pune, its curator, the author Manjiri Prabhu, challenged me to prove my love of words by coining a few new ones. Inspired by the English language's habit of borrowing freely from the world's languages, I essayed these:

time-read
3 mins  |
February 09, 2025
OIL AND MORE
THE WEEK India

OIL AND MORE

India cannot be a spectator to what is unravelling in West Asia, say experts

time-read
4 mins  |
February 09, 2025
We hope India will support two-state solution and help rebuild Gaza
THE WEEK India

We hope India will support two-state solution and help rebuild Gaza

War-torn Gaza, once home to Yasser Arafat, dreamt of self governance for the Palestinian territories. This time, its people are looking towards the Palestinian Authority to play a bigger role in helping implement the phased Israel-Hamas ceasefire, rebuilding territory and uniting Palestinians.

time-read
4 mins  |
February 09, 2025
BACK TO BROMANCE
THE WEEK India

BACK TO BROMANCE

India's strategy will be to convince President Trump that there is no daylight between him and Prime Minister Modi in advancing their shared goals

time-read
5 mins  |
February 09, 2025
Next industrial revolution will be driven by biotechnology and bio-economy
THE WEEK India

Next industrial revolution will be driven by biotechnology and bio-economy

IN AUGUST 2024, the Union cabinet approved the BioE3 policy—Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment, a framework policy to leverage biotechnology for India's economic growth, environmental sustainability and employment generation. It prioritises bio-manufacturing initiatives in various sectors like biopolymers, smart proteins, bio-therapeutics, climate-resilient agriculture, and marine and space research.

time-read
5 mins  |
February 09, 2025
AMERICAN NIGHTMARE
THE WEEK India

AMERICAN NIGHTMARE

With his strident anti-immigrant rhetoric and actions, Donald Trump is killing the American dream for both documented and undocumented workers. Indians, especially the H-1B visa holders and aspirants, could suffer the most under the new administration's policies

time-read
10 mins  |
February 09, 2025