Imphal, Jan. 15 (IANS): One woman was injured in a blast after a grenade was lobbed at an army office here, located adjacent to the Raj Bhavan and close to the Chief Minister’s home and office, on Monday, police said. The office is located on the national highway No 2 that skirts Raj Bhavan, the office cum residence of the chief minister and other senior ministers and was full of cars and other vehicles as people were returning home after the day’s work.
There was however no damage of the office or injury to any soldiers.
No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, police said, adding that they also do not have any clues about the motive or identity of the insurgents.
On receipt of the information, state and central forces rushed to the spot.
The attack comes two days after a powerful bomb blast in Ukhrul district.
Police sources feel that Monday’s blast may be a “dress rehearsal” for the boycott of the Republic Day celebrations as all banned insurgent groups in the northeast do every year.
Police say that there is a sharp increase of bomb blasts in Manipur in the past few months, and official sources also admit that there has been no improvement in the insurgency-related law and order situation. Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, who is in charge of Home, recently told IANS that he had sent feelers to the major underground outfits for hammering out a durable peace in Manipur.
