IMPHAL, November 25: Amidst the tight security blanket cover arranged by the state police, a bomb exploded at Mayang Imphal bus parking near Keisampat and just a stone throw away from the Raj Bhavan today. An AR personnel succumbed to injuries inflicted by the blast and a civilian also suffered concussion from the impact.
The Improvised Explosive Device was suspected to be triggered by underground elements and the explosion occurred at around 4 pm. The blast occurred inside the gate of the Zonal Water Reservoir campus which is located between the Haipou Jadonang Park and the Manipur State Archives Building. It may be mentioned that there are teams of security personnel stationed at the gate of Paona Bazar entrance and at the adjacent Keisampat powerhouse.
The splinters of the bomb caused grievous bodily injuries to the personnel of the 40 Assam Rifles, Charlie Company identified as Rajiv Sharma,32, of Himachal Pradesh. He was part of a routine road opening party duty and had stationed himself at the Bus Parking area.
Due to the high impact of the blast, a tin roof and the wooden wall of the nearby shop and the gate of the Water Reservoir was damaged. A shopkeeper identified as Mutum Komol, 52, son of late Jatra of Sagolband Meino Leirak was concussed from the blast and fell unconscious inside his shop. The force of the blast damaged his ear and he along with the AR jawan was rushed to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences for treatment. Rajiv Sharma bore multiple splinter wounds and succumbed to his injuries at around 7.20 pm.
According to the pump operator of the water reservoir, Md Rajauddin, he had no knowledge of any suspicious movement or objects lying within the campus and he was inside his quarter at the time of the explosion. He however stated that grocery items of the nearby shopkeepers are sometimes kept inside the campus overnight.
Post the blast, a large number of the police personnel including IG (LO-I) L Kailun, Superintendent of Police of Imphal West, L Jayentakumar and other police personnel rushed to the spot. Experts of Forensic Science Department also arrived and inspected the blast site.
According to police, the blast was suspected to be triggered with a remote. It may be mentioned that before the beginning of the Sangai Festival, security in Imphal area was beefed up and routine checks were increased in the city.