IED explosion protested; PREPAK claims responsibility

Newmai News Network IMPHAL, March 10 Locals of Khoyathong Polem Leikai in Imphal West today staged a sit-in protest in front of Hyundai Punya Showroom building, Khoyathong against last night’s explosion caused by an IED around 7 pm, which injured one of its staff members. Meanwhile, the banned People’s Revolutionary Party of Kakngleipak (PREPAK) has claimed responsibility for the bomb attack at the two-wheeler showroom. Staff members of the retail outlet and servicing centre of Hyundai scooters and motorcycles also joined the demonstration. The protesters said they strongly condemned the attack in the strongest terms and sought immediate clarification from the involved parties.PREPAK in a statement claimed that it had carried out the attack at the Hyundai Punya Showroom as a strong protest against the owner of the retail outlet Thounaojam Herojit Singh of Chingmeirong Mamang Leikai for being ‘headstrong.’ The militant outfit Maoist Communist Party Manipur (MCP) claimed that two hand grenades found inside the complex of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal on Wednesday evening were left behind by party’s cadres as security personnel were present in the vicinity. An MCP statement said only one grenade was supposed to be planted by the cadres to target some officials of RIMS already warned by the outfit for their misdeeds.