An injured victim’s mother reacts outside a hospital after a bomb exploded at a busy market in Imphal, capital of northeastern Manipur state, Monday, August 1. At least five people died and four others were wounded according to police. (AP Photo)
Imphal | August 1 : Five persons, including two minors and a father-son duo, have been killed and several injured when a powerful blast ripped through a crowded outskirt marketplace of Imphal in Manipur on Monday. The blast site wore a blood cuddling scene straight out of a Hollywood blockbuster.
The powerful blast that took place in front of a saloon at a crowded market place at Sangaipham this afternoon instantly killed five innocent and unsuspecting persons. One of the victims was completely unidentifiable as the body parts were strewn about across the blast site. A torso was found ripped apart from the limbs while several body parts lay in a pool of blood.
Seven persons have sustained varying degree of injuries and were immediately rushed to Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) and JNIMS for medical treatment. According to sources they are out of danger. Apparently, the blast came from a huge cache of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted in a scooter at Sangakpham bazaar in Imphal, 3 kilometers north of Imphal market along the NH-39. It happened at around 2 pm Monday.
The blast killed a Bihari named Zawahir Thakur (45) and his son Muna Thakur (20). They ran a hair cutting saloon which the explosion ripped to shred. Two bodies of school going girls in uniform identified as Thokchom Apik Devi (10) d/o Th Basant Singh of Sangakpham Awang Leikai and Thilaso Tangkhul (10), d/o Kazipkui of Marou village in Ukhrul district, presently staying in Sangakpham, were killed by the blast in front of a grocery shop. Another body of an unidentified person whose torso was badly severed from his limbs was found at the blast site. The body has been kept at Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) morgue for identification.
An eye witness said that two school girls were frolicking with locked hands approaching the saloon when the explosion from the nearby parked scooter ripped through the crowded market with a deafening blast, killing them instantly. No group has claimed responsibility for the act.
Heingang police team led by OC Khelen rushed to the incident spot for preliminary investigation. DGP Y Joykumar, Imphal East DIG in-charge Clay Khongsai, DIG Kailun along with paramilitary military forces from CRPF and BSF were seen taking stock of the situation.
Briefing the media at the blast site, DGP Joykumar said that whatever preliminary evidences available suggest that the explosion was pre-planned. He said the source of the blast is from IED planted in a scooter in front of a barber shop. Until now only four dead bodies have been recovered. But there might be one or two more bodies buried inside the collapsed shops, he stated while also adding that only a report from forensic lab can say with certain degree of clarity on the incident.
The blast at noon today comes close on the heels of another blast that rocked Singjamei Chingathak near an Assam Rifles post at 10 pm yesterday. The DGP said that the two blasts may not be related or trigged by one group but things would become clearer in about 3 days.
Chief Minister of Manipur Okram Ibobi Singh and several of his cabinet colleagues also descended at the blast spot to take a first hand account of the ground situation there. The chief minister has directed the DGP to launch an intense search operation to nab the culprits of the blast.
Seven persons have sustained varying degree of injury from the blast. They have been identified as S Ibomcha, Ch Akasini, Maibam Garman, Santi Devi, Kilopatra Devi and Rebika Tangkhul. All the seven injured persons have been immediately rushed to RIMS and JNIMS for further treatment.
The Governor of Manipur termed the incident as a “cowardly act. Such senseless targeting of innocent citizens is a sheer act of barbarism and must be strongly condemned by all, as such incidents have no place in the modern civilized world, he stated in a statement issued by Raj Bhavan.
Chief Minister Ibobi said that his government strongly condemns the bomb attack in the Sangaipham market near ADC guest house in Imphal. It is a dastardly and coward act and all efforts will be made to nab the culprits, he added. The chief minster also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 1 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased, Rs 75, 000 to the permanently disabled, Rs 50, 000 to seriously injured and Rs 10, 000 to victims with minor injury, in addition to providing them free treatment by the government.
The powerful blast that took place in front of a saloon at a crowded market place at Sangaipham this afternoon instantly killed five innocent and unsuspecting persons. One of the victims was completely unidentifiable as the body parts were strewn about across the blast site. A torso was found ripped apart from the limbs while several body parts lay in a pool of blood.
Seven persons have sustained varying degree of injuries and were immediately rushed to Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) and JNIMS for medical treatment. According to sources they are out of danger. Apparently, the blast came from a huge cache of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted in a scooter at Sangakpham bazaar in Imphal, 3 kilometers north of Imphal market along the NH-39. It happened at around 2 pm Monday.
The blast killed a Bihari named Zawahir Thakur (45) and his son Muna Thakur (20). They ran a hair cutting saloon which the explosion ripped to shred. Two bodies of school going girls in uniform identified as Thokchom Apik Devi (10) d/o Th Basant Singh of Sangakpham Awang Leikai and Thilaso Tangkhul (10), d/o Kazipkui of Marou village in Ukhrul district, presently staying in Sangakpham, were killed by the blast in front of a grocery shop. Another body of an unidentified person whose torso was badly severed from his limbs was found at the blast site. The body has been kept at Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) morgue for identification.
An eye witness said that two school girls were frolicking with locked hands approaching the saloon when the explosion from the nearby parked scooter ripped through the crowded market with a deafening blast, killing them instantly. No group has claimed responsibility for the act.
Heingang police team led by OC Khelen rushed to the incident spot for preliminary investigation. DGP Y Joykumar, Imphal East DIG in-charge Clay Khongsai, DIG Kailun along with paramilitary military forces from CRPF and BSF were seen taking stock of the situation.
Briefing the media at the blast site, DGP Joykumar said that whatever preliminary evidences available suggest that the explosion was pre-planned. He said the source of the blast is from IED planted in a scooter in front of a barber shop. Until now only four dead bodies have been recovered. But there might be one or two more bodies buried inside the collapsed shops, he stated while also adding that only a report from forensic lab can say with certain degree of clarity on the incident.
The blast at noon today comes close on the heels of another blast that rocked Singjamei Chingathak near an Assam Rifles post at 10 pm yesterday. The DGP said that the two blasts may not be related or trigged by one group but things would become clearer in about 3 days.
Chief Minister of Manipur Okram Ibobi Singh and several of his cabinet colleagues also descended at the blast spot to take a first hand account of the ground situation there. The chief minister has directed the DGP to launch an intense search operation to nab the culprits of the blast.
Seven persons have sustained varying degree of injury from the blast. They have been identified as S Ibomcha, Ch Akasini, Maibam Garman, Santi Devi, Kilopatra Devi and Rebika Tangkhul. All the seven injured persons have been immediately rushed to RIMS and JNIMS for further treatment.
The Governor of Manipur termed the incident as a “cowardly act. Such senseless targeting of innocent citizens is a sheer act of barbarism and must be strongly condemned by all, as such incidents have no place in the modern civilized world, he stated in a statement issued by Raj Bhavan.
Chief Minister Ibobi said that his government strongly condemns the bomb attack in the Sangaipham market near ADC guest house in Imphal. It is a dastardly and coward act and all efforts will be made to nab the culprits, he added. The chief minster also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 1 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased, Rs 75, 000 to the permanently disabled, Rs 50, 000 to seriously injured and Rs 10, 000 to victims with minor injury, in addition to providing them free treatment by the government.
