IMPHAL, Sept 14: At least three persons were injured critically when a powerful IED exploded inside a room of Royal Lodge located at North AOC at around 7:30 pm today.
The blast took place a day after an IED explosion took place within the campus of ADC Bhawan located at Sangakpham Bazar yesterday.
Police sources said the blast occurred at around 7:30 pm from room-M on the first floor of the hotel building which is few metres away from Raj Poly Clinic.
The intensity of the blast was so powerful that it has severely damaged and injured two occupants of the contiguous rooms.
The injured persons have been identified as KD Paoloi, s/o Daihe of Maiba Village, Maram, Lalsei Chongloi, 56, of Lungtin Village, Saikul, and Thingchipem Raishang, 47, s/o Wungkatui Raishang of Chingai Ukhrul. They have been evacuated to Raj Poly Clinic. A team of police rushed to the spot immediately after the blast and sealed off the blast site. A team of bomb expert was called in and conducted a thorough search.
The police sources further informed that one mobile phone along with sim card, a drivers’ license and a voter identity card with the name Thingchipem Raishang s/o Wungkatui Raishang of Pevillage of Chingai sub-division, Ukhrul district, were recovered from room M.
The occupants of all the hotel rooms were paraded and conducted verification by the police outside the campus of the hotel.
The owner of the hotel identified as one M. Lokho Mao, s/o Mahrili, Manager of the hotel and some other suspects were picked by the police for further interrogation.
Talking to media persons, Additional SP, Imphal West district, AK. Jhalajit, stated that the police have been able to gather some clues on the blast. However, he denied tocomment further on the issue asserting it as premature.
He has confirmed the nature of explosive as an IED.