GUWAHATI: Two persons were injured in a blast in Manipur on Monday, prompting several Meitei civil society organisations to call a 24-hour shutdown from Monday midnight.
An IED, planted by unknown miscreants, exploded at an abandoned house near the border of Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts at around 5.45 am.
The house has remained abandoned since May 3, 2023, the day when the deadly ethnic violence erupted in the state. The owner, a Meitei, and his family members are living at a relief camp.
When curious locals went to the site after the explosion, another blast occurred nearby. Two Meitei individuals – Sanatomba Singh (52) and Indubala Devi (37) – sustained splinter injuries in their legs and were admitted to a hospital. Both were stated to be out of danger.
The second explosion occurred nearly 200 metres away around 8.45 am, police said.
The police visited the site and launched an investigation even as authorities tightened security in the area.
Meanwhile, Meitei group Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) condemned the blasts and demanded a time-bound investigation.
“This deliberate act of terror against unarmed civilians constitutes a grave violation of fundamental human rights, constitutional guarantees, and the rule of law. The targeting of a civilian household under the cover of darkness reflects a dangerous and recurring pattern of impunity enjoyed by armed narco-terrorist perpetrators operating freely in the region,” COCOMI said.
Further, it demanded public disclosure of the findings of probe, including accountability of both the perpetrators and officials whose acts of commission or omission enabled such attacks; concrete, verifiable action against armed groups carrying out terror attacks, and clear and enforceable assurances of civilian safety, particularly for vulnerable and conflict-affected localities.
“The people of Manipur cannot be expected to live under constant fear while the state functions as a mute spectator. Failure to protect civilians is not merely administrative negligence, it constitutes a breach of constitutional, legal, and moral responsibility,” COCOMI stated.
The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) also condemned the incidents, calling such acts of violence as deeply disturbing and irresponsible which posed a grave threat to peace, public safety, and communal harmony.
“The incident has occurred in and around the buffer zone area established by the security forces…KZC reiterates that the buffer zone must be strictly respected by all at all times. Any violation of this neutral and sensitive area undermines the efforts of security forces and escalates fear and mistrust among the general public,” the organisation said in a statement.
It demanded a thorough and impartial investigation, and action against the perpetrators of the crime.
Over 260 people were killed and an estimated 60,000 others displaced by the ethnic violence. A large majority of the displaced people are still lodged in relief camps.