Imphal, September 18, 2009: Ripples of security alarm were caused when materials of improvised explosive device (IED) and three .6 high explosive hand grenades, together weighing about 25 kgs, were found fitted in a white colour Maruti car parked inside the Raj Bhavan complex today.

The car bomb, a Maruti car 800 of which registration number was MN-01/W 5048, was found parked at the parking lot of the Raj Bhavan at about 11 am.

The parking lot is just about 30/40 ft from the building complex of the Raj Bhavan's secretariat, and the office chamber of the Governor is about 50 metres from the parking lot.

Sources said, the IED materials were planned to be blasted with two hand sets of mobile phone to be used as remote control device.

Security officers of Raj Bhavan informed police bomb experts about the car bomb at about 11.15 am.

Immediately, police bomb experts rushed there and after closely examining the car, it was confirmed that it was car bomb.

DGP Manipur, Y Joykumar, Senior SP Imphal West, L Kailun, SP Security, S Manglemjao and other officers also came to the spot.

Since exploding the bomb at the spot itself would cause extensive damages to the surrounding areas including the Raj Bhavan office complex, the police officers decided to take the bombs to a safe place far away and explode them.

One recovery van from the MT Imphal West was brought to tow away the car bomb.

However, fearing that the bombs might explode at an unexpected place before reaching the desired site for blasting, a bomb-proof red colour 'bomb trailer,' which looks like a washing machine, was acquired for transporting all the IED materials and hand grenades.

The operation to remove every bit of IED materials was completed at about 2.50 pm and the same were taken to the firing range of Manipur Police Training School at Pangei where they were exploded at 5 pm this evening.

Police have picked-up three persons for interrogation in connection with the incident.

Though police are not disclosing the names of arrested persons, reliable sources informed this newspaper that they are one Mangoljao from Wangoi, who is the first owner of the car, one Gunamani from Langol, who bought the car from Mangoljao and one Mangi from Pheidinga, who is a commission agent for buying and selling cars.

Hectic efforts are on to trace out the person(s) who drove in the car and parked there.

Taking serious note on the matter, the state police department has ordered probe into the incident.

The report will be submitted within three days.

It is a routine security measure that all civilian vehicles, except those belonging to the VIPs and the Raj Bhavan staff, are checked at the gate by state police personnel both in civil and uniform.

CRPF personnel, both male and female, are guarding the Raj Bhavan gate and the whole campus round the clock.

An official source said that the registration number of the vehicle was checked up with the state transport department and found that it was fake, and was allotted to a Jeep on taxi service.

It is still a mystery how the car was allowed to be driven into the highly protected area with the huge explosive materials.

Police personnel on duty at the Raj Bhavan were called up and interrogated, a police officer who did not want to disclose his name said.

Police report said that the explosive materials containing gelatine along with the three hand grenades were found packed in the head rest of the seat.

Media persons were not allowed to enter the Raj Bhavan campus to cover the incident.

Today's attempt to target the Raj Bhavan is not the first since Gurbachan Jagat took over the charge of Governor of Manipur.

On December 21 last year around 5.35 pm, KCP (MC) of Lanheiba faction hurled two hand grenades inside the Raj Bhavan campus from outside, and one exploded.

However, no casualty occurred.

Since that incident, the state police had beefed up security around the Raj Bhavan.

Governor Gurbachan Jagat, who is also looking after Nagaland, is at present staying at the Raj Bhavan.

He was scheduled to visit Nagaland today, but had been cancelled, an official source said.

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