Road blocked, shops shut to protest terror blast
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 17: Infuriated people of Singjamei area enforced road blockade from early morning today to protest demise of a man who sustained splinter wounds in yesterday�s bomb blast at the Videocon House located in Paona Bazar.

In condemnation against the blast shop-keepers of Paona bazar also shut down shutters for the day.

However, nearby market places like Ima Keithel and Thangal Bazar conducted business as usual.

The victim Chongtham Hemchandra alias Hemsing (31) s/o Ch Chaoba of Singjamei Chongtham Leikai reportedly succumbed to injuries at around 3 am today at Shija Hospital.

He was admitted to the private medical centre in critical conditions yesterday.

Family members/relatives of Ch Hemchandra break down on seeing the victim�s body

According to informed sources, Hemsing suffered at least 25 bomb splinter wounds with two pellets of the crude bomb detected deeply lodged in his head.

The damage caused to the brain is said to be the main cause of his death.

Even as several civil society organisations decried the bomb attack at the normally crowded Paona Bazar as act of terrorism, presence of large number of police personnel could be witnessed in all the market places as part of the security measures being taken up to foil similar incident. From three wheelers, including rickshaws, to four wheelers entry to the three main market areas have been prohibited while police personnel are seen manning and plugging all the entry points besides intensified patrolling.

The road blockade imposed from Singjamei upto Kakwa with women-folk marshalling the agitation brought traffic to a stand-still along the National Highway 39 stretch for the entire day.

It was only lifted after completion of ceremonial rites of the victim, who was among five injured in the blast.

With the blockade supporters not relenting to any sort of pleas from the motorists who were not aware of the agitation, traffic had to be diverted from Kakwa area towards narrow by-lanes with similar traffic diversion also witnessed from Moirangkhom area.

As pre-emptive measure, personnel of Kakwa police station stopped vehicles from proceeding beyond specific points.

Educational institutions located in Singjamei areas also remained closed.

Even the blockade was on an emergency public meeting was held at Singjamei Super Market that culminated in the formation of a JAC.

Speakers at the hurriedly convened meeting categorically termed the blast as act of terrorism with the perpetrators labelled as cowards for causing injuries to many civilians.

After the meeting a delegation of the JAC called on the Chief Minister in-charge Th Debendra and arrived at an understanding consequently resulting in the family members/relatives of the victim claiming Hemsing�s body.

As per comments of the delegates demands raised to the State Govt included payment of Rs 1 lakh ex-gratia to the victim�s family, appointment of Hemchandra�s wife to a post similar to the one her husband had held, verification of the police personnel deployed closest to the blast site for investigation and initiate appropriate action for duty negligence, and arrest the culprits at the earliest.

During the meeting also attended by Council of Ministers and top brass of the police, the Govt representatives besides assuring to consider the JAC�s demands positively also acknowledged that the incident is due to weakness of the Govt machinery.

Organisations that condemned the blast in strongest term include All Manipur Women�s Social Reformation and Development Samaj (Palace Gate), Apunba Manipur Kanba Ima Lup, National Identity Protection Committee, United People�s Front Manipur, Manipur Forward Youth Front, All Manipur United Clubs� Organisation, Manipur Keithel Nupi marup (Khwairamband Bazar), Students� Federation of Manipur (Manipur State Council), Manipur State Council of All India Youth Federation, Tiddim Road Athletic Union, North Eastern Reorganising Cultural Assn (NEROCA), Singjamei to Lilong United Clubs Organisation and Sega Road Leimajam Leikai Women�s Welfare Assn.

apart from condemning the blast and those responsible for the dastardly act, these bodies also expressed awe on how the miscreants managed to sneak through the cordon of security force personnel.