Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, July 26 2010:
An underground activist, who hurled a hand grenande, which failed to explode, at a pharmacy inside RIMS complex, today was caught red-handed by people who were present nearby, was given a sound thrashing and later handed over to police.
The activist, later identified as Keisham Ingocha (49) of Sega Road Khwairakpam Leikai, Imphal West was caught by people near the VSA (Vision Social Advancement) Pharmacy when he ran out from the pharmacy.
People who were present around the place first took him for a thief who stole money from the pharmacy.
Around 2.15 pm today, Ingocha was running out from the pharmacy where he hurled a local made handgrenade which failed to explode.
He triggered the bomb inside the pharmacy but it missed after emission of only smoke, people who witnessed the incident at the pharmacy said.
When the bomb failed to explode, he ran out from the pharmacy.
On seeing him running out hurriedly from the pharmacy, people nearby chased him thinking that he was a thief and beat him up badly before handing him over to police, they said.
Later, a team of police from Lamphel Police Station came and took him into custody.
Police said that he is an activist of PREPAK and had been arrested two times recently.
Imphal West police commandos had arrested him around three months back in connection with a case related with activities of PREPAK and again by the Imphal East police commandos around one month back in connection with another case related with the same outfit.
The pharmacy in which he attempted to trigger the local made bomb belonged to one Waikhom Ibotombi of Singjamei Liwa Lambi Ningthoujam Leikai.
No monetary demand has been received from the PREPAK, said a source from pharmacy.
Meanwhile, an extortion bid of an underground group from a pradhan in Lamlai area of Imphal East district was foiled when they vanished on seeing police coming there last night, at about 12.30 am.
Reports said village informed the police when some four suspected undergrounds were seen moving in the area in suspicion manner nearby the house of the pradhan of the Nongren Gram Panchayat, Leishangthem Tarpon (48) at Nongren Maning Leikai last night.
When a police team from Lamlai police station arrived at the village, the suspected miscreants left the area hurriedly.
They also conducted search operation in and around the village.
Patrolling of the police and security forces in Lamlai area, the report said, has been intensified with the series of incidents related with extortion of the underground on extortion demand.