Five hurt in Dharmashala blast
Source: The Sangai Express / NNN

Imphal, October 29 2013: Raising a serious question on the security arrangement of the State Police Station once again, at least five people including two school students were wounded in a powerful IED explosion triggered by suspected armed UG cadres in the busy Thangal bazaar, in the heart of Imphal city in the early hours Tuesday.

The incident has come after the October 18 blast along Majorkhul Road at MG Avenue in Thangal Bazar area.

Today's blast also occurred at the non-locals majority Marwari Dharmasala of Thangal Bazar at around 6 a m.According to police, IED was was placed under a stationary hand-cart.

Bhairodan Maxwell Hindi Primary and High School located close to the site also bore the impact of the blast with doors, windows, ceiling and roof of class VI room of the school blown apart.

Five hurt in Dharmashala blast

The wounded victims have been identified as Abujam Arun (21), s/o A Achou, a Magic Van driver from Thoubal district's Kabo Leikai in Heirok Part-III; Shambu Shah(40), a cart puller hailing from Kishampur village in Sitabari district in Bihar but presently staying at Khoyathang in Imphal West district; Raghunath Mandop (35), also a native of Bihar's Sitabari district but who owns a mobile-tea-stall here, while the two injured students are Rajdeep Sharma (17) and Kishan Chakrabarti (18), both residents of Serou in Thoubal district.

The condition of Kishan, now receiving treatment at Raj Polyclinic here, was reported to be critical.

The other four were taken to Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal for treatment and they were later on discharged from the hospital as their conditions were not that serious.

Police reports said the bomb was planted under a stationary cart which was completely destroyed in the blast.

It also damaged some more carts kept alongside the tore down cart.

A 4 ft diameter crater was created in the explosion.

Police believed that it was a remote control bomb.

A team of police from Imphal West district led by its Superintendent of Police K Jayenta, Deputy Superintendent (Operation) S Ibomcha and another team of CRPF rushed to the site and conducted cordon and search operation in the area.

However, the security forces could not make any arrest during the operation in connection with the incident.

Suspected militants had triggered an IED at Major Khul in Thangal bazaar on October 19 last.

None was injured in the blast.

Again on October 26, the proscribed United National Liberation Front (UNLF) attacked an Assam Rifles patrol party by detonating an IED at North AOC here, injuring one personnel.