Bishnupur (Assam), 5 January (HS): A series of three improvised explosive device (IED) blasts unsettled Manipur’s Bishnupur district on Monday morning, leaving two people injured and triggering a major security response.
According to officials, the explosions took place at an abandoned house in the Saiton–Nganukon area. Two blasts were reported in quick succession between 5.40 am and 5.55 am, while a third explosion occurred around 8.30 am, spreading panic among local residents.
Police said the IEDs had been planted inside the vacant structure, which falls under the security jurisdiction of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The injured persons reportedly suffered wounds after approaching the house following the initial blast.
Soon after the incidents, security forces rushed to the site and cordoned off the area. A thorough search and sanitisation operation was launched to ensure that no additional explosive devices were present. An investigation has also been initiated to identify those responsible for planting the IEDs.
The blasts come amid continuing fragility in Manipur, where ethnic tensions between the Meitei and Kuki communities have persisted since violence first erupted in May 2023. Security forces remain engaged in routine anti-militant operations across the state.
In a related development, police on Monday said four alleged militants were arrested from different districts of the Imphal Valley. Two members of the banned Peoples’ Liberation Army were apprehended from Thoubal district, while another cadre of the outfit was arrested from Imphal West.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash
