Imphal, April 7 Violence erupted in Bishnupur district of Manipur on Tuesday, with two children killed in a bomb attack on their home, while two others were shot dead when a mob stormed a CRPF camp during a protest against the blast, police said.
A group of people also set fire to two oil tankers and a truck, vandalized a police outpost, and disrupted traffic on key roads to protest the bombing.
Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh chaired an all-party meeting to review the situation in the state.
The unrest began with suspected militants throwing a bomb at a house in Moirang Tronglaobi, killing a five-year-old boy and his six-month-old sister and injuring their mother, all of whom were asleep, police said.
Angered by the incident, around 400 people attacked a CRPF camp, prompting security forces to open fire, resulting in the deaths of two and about 20 injuries.
The protesters were reportedly unhappy with the security forces for allegedly failing to take action against the militants.
The chief minister condemned the bombing and announced that the investigation would be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The siblings were killed and their mother seriously injured around 1 am when the suspected militants threw the bomb at their home, a senior officer said.
According to an official, the deceased children's father was a central force personnel stationed nearby.
Following the incident, locals staged a protest in the morning, setting fire to two oil tankers and a truck near a petrol pump in the area. They also burned tires in front of the Moirang police station and damaged a makeshift police outpost.
Protesters also disrupted traffic in Pangei and Khurai in Imphal East district and Langthabal in Imphal West, burning tires on the roads.
Security forces were deployed in the area to control the situation, the officer said.
The chief minister described the attack as a "barbaric act" and "a direct assault on humanity and a deliberate attempt to undermine the peace achieved in Manipur".
"I strongly condemn this. Those responsible will be identified, apprehended, and prosecuted under the law. Such acts of terror will not be tolerated," he said.
The CM visited a private hospital in Imphal, where the injured mother of the two deceased was being treated.
Low-lying Moirang Tronglaobi is located close to the hills of Churachandpur and witnessed ongoing gunfights during the ethnic conflict between Meitei and Kuki-Zo groups in 2023 and 2024.
An explosive device was also recovered in a nearby area of Tronglaobi on Tuesday, another senior officer said.
Later in the day, a mob stormed a CRPF camp in Gelmol in the district, setting fire to vehicles and damaging parts of the camp, leading to firing by security personnel, which resulted in the deaths of two people.
Briefing reporters soon after the incident, Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam initially claimed that two people were killed and five others injured in the firing.
"I had urged the protesters not to enter the CRPF camp and to allow security forces to conduct an operation to apprehend those involved in the bombing," the minister said.
However, the protesters did not heed the appeal.
"They stormed the CRPF camp, set fire to vehicles and damaged parts of the camp, leading to firing by security personnel. They either fired in self-defense or out of anger. Unfortunately, two people died in the firing, while five others sustained bullet injuries," the state home minister said.
Late in the evening, Manipur Police said in an X post that 20 people were injured in the incident.
Addressing a press conference, CM Singh announced that the state government has decided to hand over the investigation into the bombing to the NIA.
He said that the decision was made after detailed discussions with the state home minister and other MLAs.
The chief minister stated that the perpetrators are yet to be identified at this stage, and a massive combing operation is currently underway.
"Security forces, including the police, Assam Rifles, and CRPF, have been deployed. Helicopters are also being used. The culprits will be apprehended as soon as possible," he said.
Appealing to the public, the CM urged people to remain calm and avoid emotional reactions.
He asked citizens to cooperate with the ongoing operations and support efforts to restore normalcy.
Singh also chaired an all-party meeting at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat to review the prevailing situation.
The meeting discussed the Tronglaobi incident in detail, according to a CMO release.
Political party representatives expressed deep concern over the recent law and order situation and emphasized the need to maintain peace, unity, and communal harmony.
At least 260 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in the ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and hills-based Kuki-Zo groups in Manipur since May 2023. The state has been under President's Rule for nearly a year since February 2025.