IMPHAL, April 22 MNS/ Agencies: A large number of Sekmai residents in Imphal West district on Monday staged a sit-in-protest against the Sunday’s bomb blast occurred in front of Sekmai Excise Post along National Highway-2 and pulling up of two locals by security forces in the aftermath of the incident. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the demonstration organized by Advanced Women Society, Sekmai Awang, Kh Amubi Devi, secretary of the organization said it condemns the blast that took place at a spot packed with people in the strongest terms. Sekmai is located along National Highway-2 (Imphal-Dimapur road). Maibam Naoba, 21, son of M Ibomcha and Thongam Sana, 20, son of Pishak have been pulled up by police in connection with the blast and it is highly condemnable, she said. They were washing a vehicle when the incident took place. The duo along with CRPF jawans fled the scene in panic when the powerful bomb exploded. Two CRPF jawans and another four civilians were wounded in the attack suspected to be carried out by militants. About 2 hours before the Sekmai blast yesterday morning, heavily armed men suspected to be militants launched an attack on an official team of the state PWD who were travelling in a vehicle escorted by Manipur Rifles jawans on the same route, killing one MR jawan and injuring another 10. Amubi also demanded the Manipur Government to immediately secure release of the duo, claiming they are innocent. Meanwhile, Teacher and Medical Officer Association, RIMS has also decried the placing of two powerful IEDs in the hospital campus on April 20. Militant outfit Maoist Communist Party (MCP) had claimed responsibility for the two bombs which were being planted in a garden in the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) campus, Imphal. RIMS Director Dr Sekharjit also took part at the protest dharna that began from 1 pm and went on till 3 pm. The banned Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF) Monday claimed that Sunday’s IED blasts at two places along the NH-2 were triggered by cadres of its armed wing People Liberation Army (PLA) and targeted Central security forces. A Manipur Rifles personnel was killed and 17 others, including a superintending engineer (SE) and seven security personnel, were injured in the explosions at two places in Chandel and Imphal West districts of Manipur on Sunday. The blast that killed one MR jawan and injured to five others and five staff of the state PWD including the superintending engineer Ng Manglemjao Singh had taken place at a place between Khudengtabi and Kwatha Lamkhai at around 7:30 am, located around 400 meter away from a post of Assam Rifles on the HN-2 while the other that injured to seven people including two CRPF personnel and five civilians occurred along the Imphal-Mao section of NH-2 at Sekmai Bazar. A statement of the RPF signed by its publicity chief Bangkim while owning up the blasts stated that both had targeted the Central security force what they called Indian Occupational Force (IOF), asserting that the stand of the outfit not to target state security force and police remains unchanged. The PWD official team and Manipur Rifles personnel escorting them was taking the assistant of the Central security force while moving on the highway, it added. On the other hand, Sekmai Bazar today observed a total shutdown in protest against the blast at crowded area and picking up two innocent persons of the area by the police in the aftermath of the blast. A sit-in-protest was also staged at the market set of the Sekmai Bazar under the aegis of Advanced Women Society, Awang Sekmai registering a strong protest against the blast and demanding unconditional release of the two persons picked by the police. In the aftermath operation of the CRPF personnel after the blast, they picked up M Naoba (20) and Thongam Sana (18), both from Sekmai Mamang Leikai in connection with the blast. Naoba was said to be a driver of one of the two trucks damaged by the impact of the blast. Both the youths were innocent. Secretary of the society Kh Amubi Devi claimed. She further asserted that Sekmai is a peaceful area so far activities of underground elements were concerned and strongly condemned the blast incident. She appealed not to repeat the incident in future while talking to media persons at the protest site. The people of Sekmai areas were strongly against the arrest of Naoba Sana in connection with the blast incident and they should be released immediately without any condition, she demanded. She said both of them were apprehended by CRPF personnel while they were running for their lives soon after the blast, threatening that they would launch agitations of various types if the two innocent villagers are not release by tomorrow (April 23).
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/protest-against-bomb-attack/
