IMPHAL, January 10: The continuing bomb attacks on Congress candidates, workers and offices have now expanded to candidates of other political parties, though it could not be ascertained whether the militant outfit CorCom, who has claimed responsibility for the attacks on the Congress, is involved in the attack on other political parties.
Atleast five grenades were reportedly lobbed today at different places in the state including at the residence of an aspiring candidate of the Trinamool Congress.
A bomb exploded at the residential gate of Trinamool Congress candidate of Thangmeiband a/c Khumukcham Joykishan this evening at around 5pm.
The explosiion injured four persons including two non-locals.
This indeed is the first bomb attack to inflict human casualties in the series of bomb attacks during the past few days, in the run-up to the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly election.
According to some local vendors of the area, just before the blast, they saw two individuals running away from the spot. The vendors also pointed their suspicion over the involvement of the two in the explosion.
The bomb landed at the gate of the candidate where posters and banners were erected and it exploded causing splinter injury to at least four people who were present at the time of the blast.
All four persons were inflicted with minor injuries however all of them were rushed to RIMS. They were later discharged after being provided with first aid.
The injured person have been identified as Adhikarimayum Dasumati, 70 w/o Bishambhor of Thangmeiband Polem Leikai, Bhola Gupta, 30, s/o Gupta; Amir Shah, 35 s/o Jagdish Shah, both of them are reported to be from Bihar and at present staying at a rented house in the Thangmeiband Polem Leikai.
Particulars of the other injured person could not be established as he had already been discharged from the hospital before the arrival of the reporters.
In the meantime, suspected CorCOM militants lobbed a hand-grenade to the residence of INC candidate Al-Haj-Ahmad located at Yairipok.
The hand grenade which was lobbed from the back side of the private residence at around 11:50pm yesterday, failed to explode and was later retrieved by a team of Yairipok police late last night.
In another incident of bomb hurling, a hand-grenade was lobbed at the gate of Dr Sapam Noren of Nagamapal Kangjabi Leirak this morning about 8.30am. Thegrenade failed to explode and police have retrieved the bomb from the spot.
In the meantime, one hand-grenade was also lobbed at the residence of Tongbram Ibochouba, chief engineer, state power department, located at Sagolband Thingnam Leikai. The bomb was hurled at around 10.30am this morning and it too failed to explode.
In another incident, a hand-grenade was hurled at the residence of Thokchom Ghanashyam located at Lamlai Mayai Leikai. The bomb was hurled at Ghanashyam’s residence this morning around 7.30am and landed at the courtyard. The bomb however failed to explode.