Five killed in blast near Imphal

Five persons, including a 10-year-old girl student, were killed and 12 injured in a blast at the Sangakpham market, near here, on Monday. The death toll may go up as many injured persons are in serious condition.

Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi, who returned from New Delhi, rushed to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, where most of the injured are being treated.

Minister Y. Erabot, under whose constituency the blast took place, and Director-General of Police Y. Joykumar also visited the injured at the hospital.

Mr. Joykumar told The Hindu that an IED (improvised explosive device) was planted in a two-wheeler that was parked in front of a barber shop in the market.

The blast, whose vibrations could be felt about 10 km away, took place at 1.50 p.m.

While the body of the girl was identified, those of the other deceased were badly mutilated.

No militant organisation has claimed responsibility for the blast so far.

Some weeks ago, a car bomb exploded at the Khuman Lampak sports complex, a little distance away from Monday’s blast site. Three persons, including a girl, were wounded in the blast. A special police team is looking into the possibility of involvement of militant organisations that had served a quit notice to migrant workers. The barber shop was run by migrant workers from Bihar.