Imphal: Fresh violence has erupted in India’s northeastern state of Manipur after a suspected rocket attack killed two young children in Bishnupur district, officials said.

The early-morning strike targeted a civilian home in the village of Tronglaobi Awang Leikai in the Moirang area, where a five-year-old boy and his infant sister were sleeping. Both children died in the attack, while their mother was critically injured and taken to hospital.

The incident triggered widespread anger, leading to protests and clashes between residents and security forces in Bishnupur and surrounding areas. Authorities responded by imposing an indefinite curfew in several valley districts and suspending internet services in key regions, including Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, and Kakching, to prevent further unrest. Protesters reportedly set fire to multiple army vehicles during the chaos.

The state government has handed over the investigation to India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA). Chief Minister N. Biren Singh condemned the attack as an “assault on humanity” and assured that those responsible would be brought to justice.

Manipur has faced ongoing ethnic tensions since 2023, with repeated clashes between communities, resulting in deaths, displacement, and continued instability in the region.