IMPHAL, August 10: Amidst the tight security measures being taken up by police in Imphal ahead of the Independence Day with combing operations and verifications being carried out daily, suspected militants lobbed and exploded a hand grenade at the western gate of the Chief Minister Bungalow at Babupara this evening around 6.25 pm.
However, no one was injured in the said explosion. The explosion only damaged some portions of the surrounding walls of the CM`s Bungalow.
Dy CM Gaikhangam, DGP Joykumar and other high ranking police officials rushed to blast site.
The police however prevented media persons from going close to the blast site leaving the media persons to take pictures and video footage from a distance.
The explosion disrupted vehicular movement on the road in front of the CM Bungalow. Vehicles coming from Kanglapat side and heading towards Singjamei side were not allowed passage for some time.
Later, a large number of police personnel searched the surrounding areas where the blast occurred.
Speaking to the media at his office chamber, Dy CM Gaikhangam who also holds the Home portfolio termed the incident very unfortunate and said that a high level inquiry will be conducted into the incident.
He stated that security arrangement in the state needs to be re-established to strengthen and to regulate the police department.
He further stated that the incident of exploding bomb at the gate of the CM Bungalow is a very serious offence.
He said that the Chief Minister Bungalow is covered with a three tier security by state police force and CISF personnel with security forces being deployed in every corner of the bungalow.
The grenade attack was carried to show that they can carry out attacks in high security zone however, it does not compromise the law and order situation of the state. This incident also does not prove the strength of the law breakers, he said.
He further stated that the attack which carried at the gate chief Minster Bungalow is not the first of its kind and recounted that a similar incident happened some four/five years ago too.
Security forces in the state needs to be more alert and do their duty with sincerity and dedication, he said.
When asked by the media persons about the CCTV cameras installed in the surrounding areas of the CM`s Bungalow, the Dy CM replied that there are two reasons behind the poor functioning of the CCTV cameras installed.
The first reason he said was that when the CCTV cameras were installed, the annual maintenance agreement was not done with the company and the second reason is the lack of power supply.
Meanwhile, the Dy CM who also holds the Home and Horticulture portfolio said that the state government is trying its level best for the safe release of the two Horticulture department officials, who were abducted by unknown armed persons from a place in between Kanglatongbi to Kangpokpi Bazaar along National Highway 2 on the night of August 8, when the two were returning home.
Asked on whether the state government has been able to find out which armed group was behind the abduction of the IFCD engineers and a driver along with non local engineers from Kolkata and asked if the hand of any SoO signed militant group was suspected, the Home Minister replied that there is information about the involvement of some SoO signed UG group in the kidnapping and extortion case. He went on to add that there is information that a SoO signed group with a subsidiary group had carried out the kidnapping and extortion and shared the money they got out of it.
The Dy CM further added that in a meeting with the chairperson of the Monitoring group where the issue was discussed, the groups replied that they were not involve in the incident.