IMPHAL/KANGPOKPI, December 9: An Improvised Explosive Device planted inside a white Maruti Van exploded today at around 12:15 pm along the National Highway 2 in between Koubru Leikha and Saparmeina, about 1km from the Saparmeina Police station.
The explosion which left two personnel of the 13th BSF posted at Koirengei with minor injuries occurred while a convoy of the BSF was passing through the highway.
Meanwhile, a PIB press release has claimed the arrest of two individuals who activated the IED while trying to escape in an unregistered Maruti Gypsy.
According to police source the IED was planted inside a van which was park near the highway.
A gas cylinder was recovered from the site, police informed.
The upper portion of a vehicle of the BSF was partially damaged in the explosion.
Further according to the police, the BSF convoy was on the way to Assam to participate in an inter-battalion shooting competition.
The injured personnel who sustained minor scratch injuries have been identified as Constable T Anand Raj, 25 from Tamil Nadu and Constable Cook Abdul Razak (22) from West Bengal.
Brig SK Sharma personally visited the blast site and assured any possible help to the Army and State force investigating the incident.
He said that this is the first incident in the area where a vehicle was used to explode an IED.
No such incident will happen again in the future, he assured.
Meanwhile, the PIB has claimed in a press release that troops of Assam Rifles of the Red Shield Division on getting inputs regarding the possible placement of an IED launched three Ouick Reaction teams and arrested two persons involved in an IED explosion along National Highway 2 at Koubru Leika.
It has further identified the two as T Suranjoy Singh, 38 and T Somendro Singh, 37 residents of Imphal East. The two have been handed over to the Imphal West police, the release said.
The Kuki Students’ Organization Sadar Hills has also condemned the explosion terming it as a barbaric act in a press statement signed by its president Thangminlen Kipgen.
The statement further said that, the incident might be the act of some vested valley based persons to generate misunderstanding and hatred among the tribal people and to disturbed the peaceful environment in the area.
The student body also urged every organization or individual not to repeat such barbaric act among the peaceful loving people in the near future.
The statement signed by the president expressed satisfaction and gratitude particularly to Brig SK Sharma and all the Army and state forces that were involved in normalizing the situation and expressed hope that they will continue working for the welfare of the people.