New Delhi, April 7, 2026: Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Tuesday sharply questioned the Central government over the tragic killing of two young children in a suspected militant rocket attack in Manipur's Bishnupur district, asking when the government would "wake up" and take concrete steps to restore peace in the violence-hit state.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday (around 1:05 AM) when a rocket-like projectile or bomb struck the house of a Border Security Force (BSF) jawan in the Tronglaobi Awang Leikai area of Moirang in Bishnupur district. The victims were identified as a five-year-old boy and his five- to six-month-old infant sister. Their mother, Oinam Ongbi Binita (37), who was sleeping with the children, sustained serious splinter injuries and is undergoing treatment in a hospital in Imphal. The father, a BSF/CISF personnel, was reportedly posted outside the state at the time.
The attack has triggered widespread outrage, protests, and tension in the area. Locals blocked roads, burnt tyres, and reportedly set fire to vehicles, while a mob stormed a CRPF camp along the Bishnupur-Churachandpur border, leading to clashes that injured several people. Authorities have suspended internet services in five districts and tightened security, with search operations launched in nearby hill areas suspected to be the launch point of the projectile. Some reports have attributed the attack to suspected Kuki militants.
Reacting strongly to the incident, Rahul Gandhi criticised the Centre's handling of the prolonged ethnic violence in Manipur. According to reports, he urged the government to act before the situation spirals further out of control, questioning the inaction that has allowed such tragedies to continue. His sister and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had earlier slammed the Centre, stating it "should be ashamed of its inaction in Manipur."
Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh (or N. Biren Singh in some references) condemned the attack as a "barbaric" and "horrific act against civilians" aimed at derailing peace efforts. He visited the injured mother, directed authorities to provide her the best medical care, and ordered a probe, with some calls for the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to investigate. Former CM Biren Singh also expressed deep pain over the incident.
This fresh violence comes amid ongoing ethnic tensions between communities in Manipur, which have persisted since 2023 and claimed numerous lives, displaced thousands, and deeply divided the state. Rahul Gandhi has previously visited relief camps in the state multiple times, met affected families, and called for peace and greater central intervention.
The incident has once again highlighted the fragile security situation in the northeastern state, with demands from opposition leaders and locals for swift action to arrest the perpetrators and prevent further escalation. Security forces have intensified patrols along sensitive hill-valley boundaries.
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