Newmai News Network Imphal | February 7 The proscribed United National Liberation Front (UNLF) has claimed that its armed wing, the Manipur People’s Army (MPA) was responsible for the four bomb blasts in the last 48 hours in Imphal. The UNLF through a press statement on Wednesday evening claimed that the MPA was responsible for the four blasts – two at Assam Rifles Transit Camp campus, Minuthong in Imphal on February 6 and two at Polo Ground in the heart of Imphal on February 5 – which left several jawans injured. Earlier on Wednesday, Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh had informed the State Assembly that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will probe the "puzzling" bomb blasts that took place this year in Imphal's high security areas, IANS reported. One of the blasts Biren referred to occurred on January 15 at the army office adjacent to the Raj Bhavan. This is something "incomprehensible" to the government, he said, adding "under these circumstances we approached the higher authority for an NIA probe and it was conceded to." Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Assam Rifles (IGAR-South Sector) termed the blasts as “cowardly acts”. The IGAR (S) maintained that the proscribed group targeting AR troops especially on February 5 was a “cowardly act” as the troops were helping in organise the ongoing 15th Sentinel Cup Equestrian Championship 2018 & 9th Junior State Equestrian Championship. “The perpetrators of these crimes will soon be identified and brought before the justice system to face the consequences of their senseless acts of violence that have tried to derail the fledgling peace process in the state,” it added.
