From dismissal to revelation: The reality of drone bombings
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: December 09, 2024 -

THE recent submission by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to a special court has unveiled a chilling reality that Kuki militants indeed utilised drones in their brutal assault on the villages of Koutruk and Kadangband on September 1, challenging the previous dismissive assertions by high-ranking Indian military officials, including former Director General of Assam Rifles Lt Gen (Retd) PC Nair and Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, who downplayed the severity of drone attacks as mere fabrications.

The NIA's report, detailing a coordinated attack that began in the afternoon and continued into the early hours of the next day, provides irrefutable evidence of militant tactics that have escalated dramatically, resulting in the tragic death of a 31-year-old woman and severe injuries to her young daughter.

The forensic evidence collected - audio-visual footage and drone debris - has been presented to the special court and sealed for further investigation.

For too long, the narrative surrounding the violence in Manipur has been shaped by scepticism towards reports of advanced warfare tactics being employed by non-state actors.

As widely reported in the media, Lt Gen (Retd) Nair had dismissed the use of drones by Kuki militants and went so far as to describe rockets as modified versions of "Pompi Guns" (a type of locally made gun) used for decades.

Reports also had it that General Dwivedi framed the reports of drone bombings as part of a "battle of narratives", denying use of drones in dropping bombs.

However, with the substantiation of the earlier concerns regarding the evolving nature of conflict that broke out in the state on May 3, 2023, the statements made by the military officials now seem woefully out of touch with the realities on the ground.

From the beginning, Manipur Police have echoed the NIA's concerns, with IGP (Administration) K Jayanta and IGP IK Muivah asserting that they have collected and analysed evidence from drone strike sites.

The implications of the NIA's findings are profound, as the use of drones and advanced weaponry signified a marked escalation in the ongoing conflict, which has already claimed countless lives since May 2023.

No wonder, the introduction of high-tech tools into the hands of militants is a game-changer, warranting a robust response from the security forces.

Dismissive claims, that too by high-ranking military officials, that reports of drone bombings are mere figments of overactive imaginations do little to bolster the credibility of central security forces, who have already faced public criticism for their inefficacy in containing the violence.

Call it a miscalculation or an intelligence lapse, but the military officials certainly cannot afford to make another mistake by drawing a hasty conclusion - a move that could literally end up distorting the reality on the ground.

Given that the situation in Manipur is a complex interplay of political, social, and ethnic tensions, exacerbated by the availability of advanced weaponry, present unrest certainly calls for an urgent need for stronger countermeasures, including better coordination between state and central forces, and a more nuanced approach to conflict resolution that addresses the underlying grievances of the affected communities.

The evidence presented by the NIA is not just a set of findings but rather a wake-up call for the authorities to swiftly reassess state security strategies and take decisive action to protect civilians and restore peace.

The lives of many now hinge on the willingness, or for that matter, efficiency of the authorities to confront the present crisis with the seriousness it demands.