Our Correspondent
Imphal | April 5
An angry mob attacked and injured two suspected militants here last night after they hurled and exploded a hand grenade in the courtyard of Chairperson of Imphal Municipal Corporation (IMC). The explosion took place in the courtyard of Aribam Nimai Sharma around 9:20 pm. No one was injured in the blast. The assailants were waylaid by a large number of locals who turned into an angry mob and severely thrashed them near the spot.
A police team came to the scene was obstructed by the mob in their attempt to take away the attackers. A scuffle ensued between the locals and police who later whisked away the assailants from the site. Reports said three persons, including a woman, set off the bomb. The woman fled the spot after the explosion. The trio came in a black Bolero Storm jeep.
The motive behind the attack could not be confirmed yet. The Porompat Police Station has started investigations into the incident.
RK Napoleon, resident of Sagolband Tera Amudon Akham Leikai under Imphal West and Angom Punilkumar from Porompat Thawanthaba Leikai in Imphal East who were caught by the mob are being interrogated by the police over the explosion. The police seized the vehicle which was also damaged by the mob. One gun license along with a small arm belonging to RK Napoleon was also recovered from the vehicle.
Earlier, unidentified persons placed a bomb at the residence of Aribam Nimai Sharma representing Ward Number 18, Yaiskul Constituency in Imphal East. A large number of residents from Brahmapur Aribam Leikai, Brahmapur Lalji Lakpa Leikai and Brahmapur Bheigyabati Leikai staged a sit-in at the Youth’ Club Brahmapur ground denouncing the blast today. In a seperate incident, unknown persons exploded a hand grenade at a residence in Lamphel Sana Keithel Pukhri Achouba under Lamphel Police Station in Imphal West yesterday around 11:30 pm. No casualties were reported in the blast which damaged a car parked inside the garage of Thounaojam Biseshwor Singh. No group has claimed responsibility.
Three militants held
A sergeant major of PLA (People’s Liberation Army) and two women cadres of Kangkleipak Communist Party-Noyon (KCP-N) were arrested by police during separate counter-insurgency operations at Heirok Champrathong in Thoubal district and Pungdongbam area in Imphal East conducted on April 2 and 3, according to an official release. Two separate cases have been registered at the respective police stations over the arrests, the release informed.
