Imphal, March 08: Taking a very serious note of the bomb attack at the State Assembly today, an emergency meeting of the Cabinet was convened today evening to discuss matter as well as to condemn it.

A statement issued by the Secretary to the Chief Minister, Dr Prem today said that the Cabinet condemned the bomb attack as a challenge to democracy as well as an act of terrorism.

During the meeting the Cabinet discussed on the measures to be taken up to check such acts of terrorism as well as to nail them.

After minutely discussing the incident, the Cabinet decided to instruct the authority concerned to suspend five security personnel as well as one Home Guard personnel for dereliction of duty, said the statement further.

The officials against whom action has been mooted include the DSP of Traffic Police, L Birababu Singh, Traffic Police Inspector and OC L Deven Singh and three other personnel.

Following the decision of the Cabinet, Chief Secretary Jarnail Singh has issued an official order that during the time of their suspension all the suspended officials should not leave the Headquarters without obtaining the permission of the Chief Secretary.

The Cabinet has also appealed to the people of Manipur to unitedly stand against such act of terrorism and to support the Government in its endeavour to fight against such elements.

The Union Home Ministry has taken a very serious view of the matter and expressed its concern, said a highly placed source and added that the Centre has also asked the State Govt how such an attack was allowed to be carried out.