SFs avert hospital blast
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 27 2011:
Co-ordinated effort between teams of RIMS police picket and troops of F-Coy of 69 Bn CRPF is said to recovered a hand-grenade from inside RIMS Hospital complex thereby averting possible disastrous consequences in the premier medical centre this afternoon.
The joint search launched by the security forces resulted in the recovery the explosive item which was found wrapped with ragged clothes and newspaper inside a polythene bag and placed near a pillar in between the corridor connecting the out-patients' department and the general ward of the hospital.
It is informed that an unknown caller informed a senior doctor of the hospital about a bomb being placed in the hospital premises thereby triggering a frantic search of the complex by the security forces after closing the OPD as a precautionary measure.
The search party upon spotting the polythene bag and suspecting the same to be the one claimed by the unidentified caller took the bag to the southern end of RIMS Blood bank.
A team of bomb disposal squad that arrived soon after opened the polythene bag consequently confirming the content to be a hand-grenade, said a police source adding that a paper chit with 'KCP' inscribed was also found inside the bag.
The hand-grenade has been exploded safely at an isolated spot in Langol area.
speaking to some newspersons, RIMS Medical Superintendent Prof P Shanti said Head of Opthalmic Department Dr Naresh received a call from an unidentified person that a bomb has been placed near the OPD.
Prof Shanti also disclosed that an unidentified person had also intimated to an opthalmic doctor namely Dr Y Chingsui, who was on duty at the OPD, that a bomb has been placed at the hospital some moments before the anonymous caller contacted Dr Naresh.
Expressing that he never expected any group or individual to carry out such irresponsible act of planting/placing explosive device in a hospital which is filled with people with different ailments, Prof Shanti also said he is not aware of any threat of monetary demand served by any armed group or groups against the institution .