Manipur, IMPHAL, September 3: The run up to the upcoming Manipur Panchayat Election has turned violent with a 43 year old admitted at the RIMS hospital in serious condition after an election related attack and hand grenades being placed at the residence of several candidates.
A man was seriously injured at Leishangthem Khongmanung under Thoubal district last night around 9:15pm, when he was assaulted by a candidate and her supporters.
The man identified as Kshetrimayum Doren, 43 son of (L) Shamu is currently being hospitalised at the RIMS hospital with multiple sword injuries on various parts of his body and a head injury. He was hit with stones on his head, according to his daughter.
She said she saw two supporters of Zilla Parishad member candidate Sanahanbi, identified as Tomba and Angangcha hit her father with stones on his head.
Meanwhile, Doren’s wife Shyama said one of the Zilla Parishad member candidates Md Latiff had opened his camp just in front of their residence.
However, some days back supporters and family members of another candidate Thokchom Sanahanbi had come to their residence and threatened the camp to close immediately and since then the camp had remained deserted, she said.
On September 2 around 9:15pm, she along with her husband and daughter were sleeping inside their residence when they were awakened by the sound of stones falling on their tin roof accompanied by loud noises outside, she continued.
She also said that hearing the noises outside, her husband went out to see what was happening, that is when candidate Sanahanbi, her husband Shyam and her supporters attacked Doren without any confrontation using stones, sticks and sharp weapons including swords.
When Doren fell unconscious, his assualters shouted, “We should now kill the wife” and turned towards her.
She fled from the scene and ran towards the nearby VDF post at Leishangthem Bazar who saved her and their daughter.
Her husband Doren was brought to the hospital last night around 11pm.
Meanwhile, Sanahanbi and her supporters had also pelted stones at the Kshetrimayum Jivan and Kshetrimayum Tomba, family members claimed.
Meanwhile, in another incident, supporters found a Chinese hand grenade hung at the Welcome sign post at the residence of Pradhan candidate Khoirom Tondon, 46 son of (L) Tombimacha of 16/22 Yairipok Top Chingthang Gram Panchayat, this early morning around 4:30am.
According to a source, the explosive was placed inside a polybag and left hanging by the sign post at the Yairipok Top Chingtham Kongbam Leikai residence of the candidate.
The grenade was picked up by a cdo team of the Andro Police station later in the morning.
Speaking to media persons, a local urged all the concern not to build up tension in a residential area by placing a grenade at residences of candidates.
Meanwhile, a day after an IED was recovered from the residence of Thounaojam Haimo, 50 son of Shamu of Sanjenbam Awang Leikai under Lamsang PS, another Chinese made Hand Grenade was recovered from near his residence this morning around 8am.
The explosive was recovered by the police later in the day. The Maoist Communist Party, Manipur (MCP) has claimed the placing of the IED at Sanjenbam.
