Two commandos hurt in twin bomb blasts on R-Day eve
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 25 2010: Two police commandos were injured in twin bomb blasts at Minuthong in Imphal West district today at about 7.30 pm, even as the Republic Day boycott call given by numerous militant organisations came into effect from midnight today.

The KCP (MC, Lanheiba) has claimed responsibility for the bomb blast.

The twin blasts went off near the southern side of the transit camp of the Assam Rifles, located just opposite to the office of the Manipur Mountaineering and Trekking Association.

According to police sources, the first blast went off at about 7.30 pm near the fencing of the Assam Rifles transit camp, on the road which leads to the Khuman Lampak Sports Complex.

Police commandos scouting the area of the blast at Minuthong

As soon as the bomb exploded, police commandos, who were put on high alert nearby ahead of the Republic Day, went to the spot where the bomb went off.

Even as the cops were scouting the area, another bomb exploded after about five minutes of the first explosion, said police.

The two police commandos, belonging to Imphal West police were injured in the second blast.

The two injured police commandos have been identified as Longjam Somorjit (33) of Haobam Marak Keisham Leikai and H Binoy (28) of Oinampok.

Somorjit received injuries on the left shoulder and leg while Binoy received multiple injuries.

The two blasts went off about 30 feet away from each other and outside the fencing of the transit camp of Assam Rifles.

The explosions left a crater of about four feet in width and two feet in depth.

The twin blasts impacted on the office of the Manipur Mountaineering and Trekking Association, leaving the window of its ventilator shattered.

The hoarding put up at the gate of the MMTA office was also found blown away by the impact of the blasts.

The attack came despite the heavy security bandobast in the face of the boycott call given by several underground organisations.

The boycott and general strike will come to an end today evening.