Imphal: An IED (Improvised Explosive Device) and as many as 20 lathod bombs were recovered by police from two different places in Manipur on Sunday.
Police said that the IED fitted with a mobile phone handset was intercepted by police personnel on duty at the residence of MLA L Shusindro Singh alias Yaima at Khurai Chingangbam Leikai under Porompat police station of Imphal East district today morning, around 6.30 am. The source said that the police personnel stopped a 47-year-old man who carried something in a polythene bag.
Upon enquiry, the police personnel came to know that an IED fitted with a mobile phone handset was inside the polythene bag.
The police then directed the person later identified as one Premchand to deposit the IED near the water supply pipe piling near the residence of the MLA and immediately informed the concerned police station for necessary action.
Police team from Imphal East district police headquarters immediately rushed to the spot and blocked traffic along Tinsid Road as precautionary measures.
They called out experts from the state police bomb detection and disposal squad.
A team of Assam Rifles troopers on patrolling duty arrived there to assist the police and bomb experts in defusing the IED safely.
Meanwhile, the police arrested the person who brought the IED after registering a case against him.
During preliminary verification, the person who was said to be mentally disabled allegedly revealed that he picked up the polythene bag containing the IED nearby a Pharmacy shop (Bobby Pharmacy) at Khurai Lamlong Bazar.
In another incident, police in Kakching district recovered a bag containing as many as 20 lathod bombs from the roadside near Yangbi Primary School under Hiyanglam police station of the district.
The police recovered the bombs yesterday evening around 5 pm when they rushed to the spot after villagers informed them about laying an unattended bag.
After keeping a close watch over the night, the district police called out experts of the state police bomb detection and disposal squad early today morning.
Upon checking, the bag was found containing 20 numbers of lathod bombs, the police said.
The lathod bombs were later detonated at an open place near a buffalo farm.
The police suspected the lathod bombs being kept concealed by militants.
The recoveries of the IED and lathod bombs came barely a day after the commanding officer (CO) of 46 Assam Rifles, his wife and son were killed along with four troopers in a deadly ambush allegedly by cadres of PLA and MNPF in interior Churachandpur district on Saturday.
NNN