Imphal, September 20, 2009: In the follow up action to the recovery of a car fitted with IED inside the compound of Raj Bhavan on Friday, police apprehended a man who is said to have sold two mobile SIM cards fitted with the IED for triggering blast.

On the other hand, with the institution of a departmental inquiry to be conducted by IGP (Intelligence) into the incident, six police personnel on duty on that day are likely to be placed under suspension from their service.

CRPF personnel guarding the Raj Bhavan have replaced the state police personnel in conducting frisking and checking of the visitors to the Raj Bhavan.

This has been done as part of the latest move to beef up security measure at Raj Bhavan.

The man who is said to be a vendor of mobile SIM cards was nabbed by a team of Imphal city police.

He has been identified as Yumnam Boy (27), son of Gullei of Langmeidong Mayai Leikai.

He is running a shop and dealing in mobile phone SIM cards.

He reportedly admitted that he sold the SIM cards and also disclosed the name of the person who bought the cards.

City police have registered a case against him and produced him in the court of Duty Magistrate and taken remand in police custody for 15 days till October 3. The Police department has already placed four police personnel of watch section of the CID branch detailing at the Raj Bhavan under suspension following the recovery of the car bomb.

The four personnel on watch duty at Raj Bhavan who have been placed under suspension are SI, Chaothoi, head constable Md Shahabuddin, constable Prabhabati and constable Priya.

Suspension of six more personnel in uniform who were detailed at the gate for frisking and checking duty is also under process, police source said.

However, till the time of filing this report, no order of suspension has been issued in this regard.

Meanwhile, frisking and checking of entry of vehicles and visitors at Raj Bhavan has been intensified with the CRPF personnel directly taking charge.

According to the CPRF DIG (Adm and Ops), G Kumar Shorohi, personnel of 109 Bn of CRPF are guarding the Raj Bhavan complex round the clock.

He however did not disclose the number of CRPF personnel deployed at the place for reasons of security.

Even though CRPF personnel have been guarding the Raj Bhavan, earlier they were not involved in the frisking and checking of visitors.

Only the state police conducted the same.

Police investigation into the recovery of IED fitted car inside the Imphal Raj Bhavan on Friday last confirmed that the original registration number of the car belongs to Assam state and entered into the complex using a fake registration number plate.

During the preliminary investigation, police found the car (white colour Maruti 800CC car), which was fitted with IED, originated from Assam state with its registration number AS-25C-9860 and using with number plate MN01-W-5048 while intruding inside the Raj Bhavan.

Three persons related with the vehicle were arrested by the police and taken into police remand for 15 days after producing before the Imphal west district magistrate for further interrogation.

They were Sapam Gunamani of Bamon Leikai, Imphal, Chabungbam Mangi of Loitang village and Yumnam Ranjit of Sekmai Maharabi.

They were picked up by the police investigating into the origin of the vehicle.

The vehicle is in the name of doctor when it was brought in Imphal.

Police suspect the occupants of the car left the Raj Bhavan complex leaving behind the vehicle with IED to another car MN-01A-9747 which also found in the vehicle entry record maintained at the entrance gate of the Raj Bhavan.

The IED materials mostly galantines of around 25 kg was found fitted with a hand grenade and two mobile phones which police believed fitted to trigger by ringing the mobile phones from other phones.

The IED may have failed to explode as due to no network coverage inside the Raj Bhavan.

Proscribed KCP -Lanheiba group, the group behind the series of attacks to the VIP residential and security points in the last around one year had owned up the failed attempt.

The Friday failed planned was the second time attempt to the Raj Bhavan by the outfit.

They had exploded a hand grenade inside the bhavan in December last year.

Manipur police chief has ordered an inquiry into the recovery of car fitted with IED inside the Imphal Raj Bhavan complex, the official source said adding the inquiry will be conducted by IGP (Intelligence), LM Khoute and its report will submit as early as possible.

Comment