3 killed, 24 injured in blast
Home Minister Gaikhangam condemns blast; Calls it 'brutal act'; Assures Action
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, March 11 2015: At least three persons were killed and 24 including five women injured in a powerful blast at the crowded Imphal Khwairamband Temporary Market in the heart of Imphal city on Wednesday evening.

The death toll is likely to increase as the conditions of some of the injured were stated to be critical.

Among the injured, 16 were local vendors who sell clothes, poultry items and vegetables at the market.

The bomb, suspected to be an Improvised Explosive Device, went off at around 6 pm.

Police said the explosive could have been planted at a waste dumping site on the northern side of the market complex.

The blast site at Imphal Khwairamband Temporary Market

Two of the deceased were identified as Md Suman Khan (31), of Kshetri Awang Leikai of Imphal East district and Mithu Yadav (29), a resident of Bihar, and at present staying at Thangal Bazar.

The identity of the third person killed could not be ascertained yet though he is believed to be a non-local.

All of the three died on the spot.

The police had retrieved and kept the bodies at RIMS mortuary.

Another 24 persons including five women sustained injuries in the blast.

At least 18 of them were admitted to RIMS Hospital for treatment.

Two more injured persons were rushed to JNIMS, reports said.

The conditions of two injured persons were stated to be critical.

Check points were immediately opened at all the exit routes in the area and an intensive search including frisking and checking operations was conducted to nab the perpetrators.

However, no arrest had been reported so far.

Top officials of the Manipur Police rushed to the spot and took stock of the situation.

Personnel of the state police bomb detection and disposal squad also rushed there.

Home Minister Gaikhangam, DGP Shahid Ahmed, IGP Clay Khongsai and other top ranking police officials later visited RIMS Hospital and met family members of the victims.

Home Minister Gaikhangam strongly condemned the blast terming it as a "brutal act" and promised that the Government will not spare the perpetrators involved in the incident.