At least five persons were injured after an IED exploded at a market place in Ukhrul town in Manipur on April 3 evening.
A police source said that the explosion took place in the market area at Viewland under Ukhrul police station, around 6.30 pm.
Among the injured persons, four are shopkeepers and among them one identified as Mangal Mahanton ((55) sustained critical injuries.
Other injured shopkeepers are Sanjay Kumar Prasad (36), Satnarayan Gupta (30), all staying at Viewland, and Arjundhan (26) of Kanglatongbi, according to the police.
A cart puller identified as Sanjay Uprety (27) of Leimakhong also sustained splinter injuries.
All the injured persons were immediately rushed to Ukhrul district hospital for medical treatment.
With the condition of Mangal Mahanton critical, he has been shifted to a hospital in Imphal along with Sanjay Kumar, the police added.
Mangal sustained grievous splinter injuries on both legs and his back.
Satnarayan Gupta injured his right hand and other parts of the body while Sanjay on his face, legs and hands.
Arjundhan sustained splinter injuries on their legs and hand and their conditions were not serious, the report said.
The reports also said that the blast took place when the shopkeepers were busy shutting down their shops after the day’s business.
The report said that the IED suspected to have been lobbed by militants went off just in front of one of the shops.
Soon after the blast, Ukhrul district police including SP Ningsem Vashum and other top officials and troops of 35 Assam Rifles including Major Josephine rushed to spot and conducted a massive search operation in and around the area.
There were no reports of picking up any suspect in the operation reportedly going on till the time of filing of this report.
No militant group has owned up to the blast till the time of filing of this report.
