Imphal serial blasts : All bombs of similar types
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 03 2013: Following the serial blasts in Imphal city in the last 16 days, triggered by suspected militants, elaborate security measures have been taken up at all the important markets which are choc-a-bloc with Ningol Chakkouba shoppers.

The city areas have witnessed over 15 IED explosions in less than three months, the latest being near a temple at Kalibari, Thangal bazar on Saturday night even as the police said that components and types of these bombs are more or less similar.

Addressing media persons at his office today evening, Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam, who also holds the Home portfolio, said that all the explosives used in the last five blasts are of similar types.

Incidentally, Imphal West SP K Jayenta has also said the same thing.

Investigation of the bomb materials as well the timings suggest the hands of underground organisations, said Gaikhangam but hastened to added that there is as yet no concrete proof nor evidences to say which group or groups are involved in the bomb explosions.

Enhanced security measures

Asserting that no efforts would be spared to rein in the situation, Gaikhangam said that the Chief Minister is scheduled to hold a high level security review meeting tomorrow.

A similar meeting will also be held at his level later, he added.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that the work of planting and triggering bombs have been outsourced to civilians, who are otherwise innocent.

However their acts are criminal and cannot be condoned under any circumstances.

The Deputy Chief Minister was candid enough to admit that the State police do not yet have the device to track and penetrate mobile calls made from CDMA and WLL and added that a proposal to procure the machinery to track these calls have been sent by the Home Department to the Finance Department.

The police are doing their best to tackle the situation with the limited resources at hand, said Gaikhangam though he did not refrain from admitting that there are some black sheeps amongst them.

Fending questions from the reporters, the Deputy Chief Minister said that there are no SoO leaders taking refuge at the camps of the Assam Rifles but added that the Government is studying the case.

On the recent reshuffle of some police officials following the Moirangkhom blast, Gaikhangam said that man power planning process is underway and more such transfers and postings may effected in the near future.

Reacting to the demands of the Opposition parties that the Chief Minister should step down and President's Rule imposed in the wake of the recent serial bomb blasts, the Deputy Chief Minister said that this is not the time to indulge in such political gimmicks but to join hands together and see how the situation can be tackled.

Wednesday's explosion at Yaiskul Moirangkhom close to the Chief Minister's bungalow in Imphal West killed three people and injured four others.

Currently the city's commercial areas including Paona Bazaar, Thangal Bazaar, Allu Gali and Bir Tikendrajit are packed with shoppers of Ningol Chak-kouba, the biggest festival of Manipuri women that falls on Tuesday.

Besides carrying out operations at suspected areas, the cops particularly commandos, are on round the clock vigil and conduct abrupt frisking though there has been no report of detecting bombs from any individuals till the time of filing this report today evening.

Additional forces have also been put into service in the twin capital districts of Imphal West and Imphal East.

"We have utilized maximum forces in the city areas to foil any attempt to transfer, plant bombs and trigger explosions," Superintendent of Police (Imphal West) K Jayanta said on Sunday.

"For Imphal West, additional forces have been utilized from Bishnupur district police and Thoubal district have joined hands in operating in Imphal East district," Jayanta added.

Other than the grenade explosion at a temporary workshed at Nagamapal on September 13 killing nine migrant workers, other IEDs exploded at different parts of city since the last few months are almost similar types in their compositions, Jayanta said adding that investigations are on to ascertain the veracity of the incidents.

The ongoing security measures will continue as long as the situation demands, said the senior police officer.

On Saturday evening the State Cabinet approved Rs five lakh each as ex-gratia to the next of kin of the three persons killed in the Yaikul blast.

To those seriously injured in similar incidents, the Government will pay Rs 50,000 and Rs 20,000 to those who sustained minor injuries.