Suspected militants triggered a powerful improvised explosive device (IED) at a fish shop on December 19 night in Imphal even as a remote controlled IED was found planted near a godown early on December 20.
Both the incidents were reported in Imphal East and no casualty was reported in the blast at the fish shop, police said.
Reports said that suspected militants exploded the powerful IED at the fish shop belonging to one Sashikumar under Irilbung police station of Imphal East district last night, around 11pm, the police also said.
No casualty was reported in the blast even as the impact of the blast damaged partially a gate next to the shop. A medium size pitch was also erupted at the blast site.
The shop dealing with imported fish is located adjacent to the house of the owner.
Police after analyzing the footage of the CCTV installed near the blast site said that two miscreants who came on a motorcycle planted the IED in front of the shop around 10.30 pm.
The IED, suspected to be remotely controlled, went off after around 30 minutes.
According to the mother of the shop owner, it was the second time such incidents had occurred targeting her son’s shop in the recent memory.
Decrying the triggering of bomb at the populated area, local womenfolk staged a sit-in-protest at Khongman Zone 1 on December 20.
While strongly condemning the blast, the womenfolk lamented that the act of the suspected militants disturbed the peace of the area.
They appealed not to repeat such violence acts in the future.
Regarding the second incident, suspected militants planted a powerful IED near a warehouse at a place under Porompat Police station in Imphal East district on December 20 morning.
The five kg IED fitted with five TNT sticks, a radio data system, and splinters in a silver container was later defused of by personnel of the state police bomb detection and disposal squad after around two hours of struggle.
The police said that they rushed to the area after locals informed about laying a suspected bomb near the warehouse early this morning.
People at a rented house first noticed the suspected object, around 7.30 am, they said.
On being informed, the police immediately rushed and cordoned off the area as security measures before calling out the bomb experts.
While cordoning the area and preventing entry of people, the police also deployed an ambulance and a fire tender besides a jammer while defusing the IED.
The IED was later disposed of, the police further said.
