Pre-poll violence in Manipur continued unabated with miscreants targeting intending candidates.
A hand grenade was lobbed by unknown miscreants at the gate of the residence of former MLA Salam Joy Singh, an intending candidate from Wangoi Assembly segment in Imphal West in the ensuing poll in the ween hours today. The bomb exploded around 2 am. The impact of the blast damaged the Iron Gate of the former MLA. No casualty was reported, police said.
Police who inspected the blast site this morning recovered the levers of the hand grenade and splinters.
The residence of the former MLA is located hardly two kilometers away from Samurou where miscreants had gunned down two persons – an active BJP worker and an aide of the Manipur Agriculture and his cousin brother who served in the Police department on the night of January 9. The blast took place at a time while residents of Samurou area were continuing agitations demanding booking of the culprits behind the killing of the two persons.
Also read: Pre-poll violence: Two including police personnel shot dead in Manipur
Miscreants also attacked the residence of intending candidate Khuraijam Ratankumar at Kangla Sangomshang under Lamlai police station by exploding a powerful IED today, around 3 am.
Ratankumar is currently campaigning to contest the ensuing poll from Khurai Assembly constituency of Imphal East district.
Besides shattering the gate, the impact of the blast also damaged a vehicle parked at the front courtyard of the residence and window panes of the front veranda of the house.
In yet another violent incident, unknown persons attacked the house of an individual identified as Ningthoujam Herojit Singh (42) of Kairao Bitra under Irilbung police station of Imphal East district with gunshots and stones last night, around 1 am, police said. Police who rushed to the spot after the attack recovered some empty cases.
Even though the reason behind the gun attack was yet to be ascertained, the police as well as locals suspected it was related with the ensuing poll in Keirao assembly constituency of Imphal East district.
NNN
