A children’s home in the heart of Imphal city became the target of a gun attack by two masked individuals in the early hours of Wednesday. While no injuries were reported, the incident, which saw seven to eight shots fired, has prompted a police investigation into potential motives, including extortion. The vulnerability of the facility, housing children affected by the Manipur conflict, has sparked outrage and calls for action.
BY PC Bureau
April 9, 2025
Two masked mens fired seven to eight rounds at a children’s home in the Sagolband Meino Leirak area of Imphal West district, Manipur, early Wednesday around 1:30 AM. Fortunately, no one was injured as everyone was asleep at the time of the incident.
Incidentally, the distance by road from Sagolband Meino Leirak to Manipur Raj Bhavan is approximately just three to five  kilometers.
Police investigations, based on available footage, revealed that the assailants, dressed in black, approached the gate of the Children Home for Boys before discharging their weapons and immediately fleeing the scene. Authorities are considering all possible motives, with government sources suggesting a potential extortion attempt targeting the NGO-affiliated facility.
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The children’s home, operating under the state social welfare department’s supervision and housing 30 children under the centrally funded Mission Vatsalya (formerly the Integrated Child Protection Scheme – ICPS), also accommodates six children from internally displaced families affected by the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur.
Masked gunmen fired 7 shots at a boys’ shelter in Sagolband Meino Leirak (Imphal West).
What can be the purpose of targeting a boy’s shelter, except to disrupt ongoing peace efforts & incite more violence in #Manipur.
Manipur deserves peace.@askrajeshsahu @Dig_raw21 pic.twitter.com/suhX6393GW— Shakhenba Thangboi (@ShakhenbaThang) April 9, 2025
The incident has heightened concerns regarding the Union Home Ministry’s (UHM) hesitation to re-impose the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in the remaining 13 police stations within the Manipur valley. Despite the prevailing lawlessness, several Meitei student organizations, including AMSU, MSF, AIMS, DESAM, SUK, and KSA, are advocating for the repeal of AFSPA in Meitei-dominated districts.
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Following the attack, the management and the district child protection unit have filed a First Information Report (FIR). In response, local residents of Sagolband Meino Leirak held a sit-in protest on Wednesday, condemning the attack and demanding the arrest of those responsible.
Police have reported that various establishments in Imphal and other parts of Manipur have been receiving extortion threats. In the past 24 hours, three individuals, including two militants, have been apprehended in Imphal West, Imphal East, and Kangpokpi districts for activities related to extortion.
Two suspected Meitei gunmen attacked a children's home in Sagolband, Imphal West, on April 9, 2025. This incident raises concerns about the UHM's reluctance to re-impose #AFSPA in the remaining 13 police stations in the Manipur valley.
Despite the ongoing lawlessness, several… pic.twitter.com/2xX0Uk77yR
— Sumkawn (@Sumkawn) April 9, 2025
