IMPHAL, December 12: Following the recent bomb attack at the residence of Heignang Block Congress Committee (I) president at Khurai Salan Leirak on December 9, unidentified persons today left a hand grenade at the residence of Congress MLA Bijoy Koijam and exploded another at the residence of an active Congress worker at Khurai Lairikyengbam leikai.
In the first incident, miscreants left a hand grenade at the residence of Thongju MLA Bijoy Koijam this noon.
Even as Thongju a/c MLA Bijoy Koijam was on his first house to house campaigning for the ensuing election in his locality, two unidentified youths who came riding an Activa scooter left a hand grenade at his residential veranda at 12:30pm noon.
According to family members the two youths who seem to be Muslims, came in an Activa scooter and without saying anything hurried away after leaving a grenade at their veranda. The scooter which was blue in colour had no registration number, the family members further added.
Soon after the incident, the family members informed the police after which the police a combined team of Imphal east police and Singjamei police arrived at the scene and retrieve the grenade.
Even though the two suspected youths are yet to be identified, the MLAs family has expressed suspicion that the grenade threat could be politically motivated.
The state planning board deputy chairman informed media persons this evening that considering the attack and others such incidents in recent times, there is a need for the state government to take up special security measures for representatives of the people, which is also one of the main responsibilities of the state government, he added.
In the second incident, suspected militant cadres lobbed a hand grenade at the residence of an active Congress worker identified as Kshetrimayum Subhash Singh, 50, s/o (l) Ksh Ibohal of Khurai Lairikyengbam leikai under the Imphal east police at around 8:45pm.
Even though the grenade exploded inside the compound of the Congress worker, it failed to cause any major damage. None of the family members were also hurt during the grenade attack.
An Imphal east police team arrived at the scene and had conducted a combing operation however there has been no report of any arrest during the operation.
Meanwhile it may be mentioned that, a faction of the proscribed KCP had recently announced a complete ban on all workers and members of the Congress party and CPI. While, another KCP (MC) faction had threatened 25 sitting MLAs of the state assembly with a ban on all their election related activities of which Bijoy Koijam is one.