By A Staff Reporter
IMPHAL | Aug 13
Breaking security measures taken in view of the 70th Independence Day celebration a bomb blast rocked Imphal.
The blast occurred at around 9: 40 am this morning at Kakwa Naorem Leikai under Singjamei police station in Imphal West. The bomb believed to be improvised explosive device (IED) was planted near the base of a transformer located beside Nongpok Panthoibi community hall, Naorem Leikai.
The impact of the blast damaged the barb wire fence around the transformer. However, no one was injured. It is said that at the time of the blast some second hand dress dealers were selling their products just 20 metres from the blast site.
SP Imphal West, commandant of 6th AR and personnel of Singjamei PS inspected the site. Police bomb squad collected samples of fragments. Experts said, it is suspected to be a timer IED.
A similar bomb exploded yesterday at the border on Myanmar side opposite to Sunrise playground, Moreh at around 5.15 am but no causality has been reported.
Police picked up Naorem Bhume (55) son of late N. Komol.
Cordon and search operation have been carried out in different parts of the state.
Today at around 5 am to 7 am CASO was conducted at Thingkangphai, Churachandpur by district police teams led by Add. SP L. Khongsai, SDPO Churachandpur, SDPO Thanlon and women police.
Thoubal police conducted cordon and search operations at Yairipok Huidrom Leikai from 4.15 am to 6.00 am. Three persons were picked up for further verification at Yairipok police station.
Similar operation was conducted today at Kakching Lamkai under the supervision of Kakching SP and the teams of OC Pallel, Hiyanglam, CDO Thoubal, along with female personnel between 3.30 pm to 4.30 pm.
More than 120 persons were verified on the spot and 19 persons were found without any identifying documents and they were handed over to Kakching police station for further verifications.
Later, house to house search and verification of households was also conducted at Kakching Ningthou Pareng and nearby houses of the place of function.
Women folks of Naorem Leikai staged a sit-in protest condemning the today’s bomb blast infront of Nongpok Panthoibi, Naorem Leikai.
Eyewitness said that the spot of the blast was a place where Assam Rifle personnel came and usually have lunch.
Today’s blast took place just a few minutes after Assam Rifle personnel left the spot, added the eyewitness.
Speaking to media persons, Singjamei to Lilong Meira Paibi, advisor, Naorem Dasumati said that in their locality bomb blast has never occurred in the past.
Such action brought a big terror to the people of their locality, she added.
The advisor said that the person or organisation who is responsible for the blast should clarify within three days.
The women folks asked the government not to deploy Assam Rifles in their area as it become unsafe for the general public.
The women folks claimed that Norem Bhumen (55) son of N. Kumol of Naorem Leikai which was arrested by the Imphal East commando just half hour after the blast from his residence is innocent and asked to released him without any condition.
Read more / Original news source: http://www.ifp.co.in/item/2825-second-blast-rocks-imphal