Civil Society Organisations observing a sit-in-protest after the IED blast in Chandel on November 13. (NNN Photo)
Chandel orgs condemn blast
Newmai News Network
Imphal | November 13
Two Assam Rifles personnel were killed and six others injured critically in an explosion of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Chandel district headquarters in Manipur early today. Police said the blast occurred around 6:10 AM along Mahamani village road near the office of the deputy commissioner. Chandel district headquarters is located about 60 km south-east of Manipur.
Meanwhile, the deceased have been identified as Indra Singh (rifleman) and Sohan Lal (rifleman).
Both of them were attached to the 18 Assam Rifles. The six injured have been identified as S Sarkar (rifleman), N Shyam Kumar, (rifleman), Tirendra Nath Das (rifleman), Ram Govind Singh rifleman), Nirmal Roy (rifleman) and Lalnunpuia (rifleman).All the injured personnel have been treated at Leimakhong Army Hospital, about 25 km north of Imphal. It is yet to confirm the addresses of the victims till the filing of this report.
The security force personnel were on patrol when the IED exploded, sources said. No group has claimed responsibility for the blast even as several organizations of Chandel district have condemned the incident.
Meanwhile, additional security forces have rushed to the spot immediately after the incident. So far o arrest was made n connection with the incident.
Today’s incident had occurred even as security measures have been tightened in view of the visit of President of India, Ram Nath Kovind to Imphal on November 21 to inaugurate the 8th Manipur Sangai Festival 2017.
Meanwhile, several organizations while condemning the incident carried out sit-in-protest in Chandel headquarters holding placards.
Chandel Naga Peoples’ Organisation (CNPO), while threatening to agitate, has termed the incident as a “plot to disturb and disrupt the peace talk between the Government of India and the NSCN-IM which is at the threshold to its logical conclusion.” The apex Naga body of the district also termed the incident as an act of cowardice.
The CNPO demanded the group responsible for the incident to clarify the reasons for the “inhuman act” by midnight of November 15.
In the event of the failure to get clarification from the group responsible for the incident within the given period the CNPO said it will impose a 24-hour bandh along Pallel-Chandel-Moreh road from the midnight of November 15.
Anal Naga Tangpi (ANTA), the Anal tribe apex body also strongly condemned the incident. It asked the group responsible for today’ blast not to plant bombs in public places.
Naga Chiefs Association, Chandel (NCAC) while condemning the incident said that “fear has gripped the mind of the people” after the incident. It also said such an act can be committed by the terrorists to disturb the peaceful co-existence of various communities in the district.
