This statement of the chief minister echoed Union Home minister P Chidambaram’s who put blame on the NSCN-IM for yesterday’s blast. Also, in a press communiqué, the state Home department said, “Government of Manipur has received concrete and convincing evidence which establishes the direct involvement of NSCN-IM in the series of recent violent incidents which left several innocent civilians dead and many seriously injured in various parts of the state including Monday’s blast.” The Home department note further said one Anthony s/o Bonkulung of Sadu Koireng killed in yesterday’s blast has turned out to be an active NSCN-IM cadre. The Bajaj scooter used in yesterday’s blast was from Dimapur bearing registration number NL-01E/1394 and owned by one K. Daniel Angami s/o K Angami hailing from Diphupar in Dimapur, according to the Manipur chief minister.
The government of Manipur said that it has received concrete and convincing evidence which establishes the direct involvement of NSCN-IM in the series of recent violent incidents which left several innocent civilians dead and many seriously injured in various parts of the state. It also said that the state government is seriously considering taking up the matter with Central government to request for revocation of ceasefire with NSCN-IM due to these continuous and open acts of terrorism being committed by the outfit.
The powerful blast in front of a saloon at a crowded market place at Sangaipham yesterday afternoon instantly killed five innocent and unsuspecting civilians, including a father-son duo and two 10-year old girls in school uniforms. One of the victims was beyond recognition as the body parts were strewn about across the blast site. A torso was found ripped apart from the limbs while several body parts lay in a pool of blood. This might be the body of the suspected NSCN-IM cadre.
“The blast (at Sangakpham) also killed Anthony, s/o Bonklung of Sadu Koireng, an active cadre of NSCN-IM as per the highly reliable intelligence inputs,” stated the home department in a press handout today. The press handout of the home department said now it is amply clear that NSCN-IM was directly responsible for at least six major violent incidents in the recent past. Chronicling the recent events, the Home department said on April 15, 2011 an ambush was laid by NSCN-IM on the convoy of Phungyar MLA Wungnaoshang Keishing in which 8 Manipur police escort personnel were killed and seven others sustained critical injuries while the MLA made a narrow escape.
On May 28, 2011 a powerful bomb blast was carried out in Khuman Lampak complex in which three persons sustained injuries, apparently with the intention to target members and officials of district councils which was functioning from there due to threat held out by NSCN-IM, said the home department statement.
Again, on July 9, 2011 a bomb was detected in a scooter parked at Sangakpham market which too was aimed at the ADC guest house complex nearby. On July 24, 2011 NSCN-IM killed a couple at Lungphu village in Ukhrul district and openly claimed responsibility while also carrying out a grenade attack on MDC office at Ukhrul the day before that on July 23, 2011, noted the statement.
Now it is amply clear that NSCN-IM was directly responsible for the six major violent incidents in the state, it said. Initial investigations into Monday’s Sangakpham blast indicate that the blast took place when the said Anthony was on the two wheeler in which the explosive (IED) was planted. This indicates his inexperience in handling explosives, the statement added.
Apparently, the explosion occurred moments after some vehicles of a member of ADC members went past the blast site. The blast was reportedly aimed at members of Autonomous District Councils who are housed in a nearby guest house complex of district councils, added the Home department statement.
The government stated that these acts of terror are quite clearly designed to thwart the democratic process taken up be the government of Manipur to introduce democratic decentralization by successfully conducting elections to the six district councils which had remained dormant for over two decades.
The Ibobi government has termed these acts of blatant terrorism as cowardly and savage and said that the government is seriously considering taking up the matter with Central government to request for revocation of ceasefire with NSCN-IM due to these continuous and open acts of terrorism being committed by the outfit. “Government of Manipur is committed to fight all evil designs of the NSCN-IM and other such forces as are perpetrating these terrorist acts,” the statement said while seeking support and cooperation of the people to fight against such forces in a united manner.
Naga People’s Union Imphal condemns blast
Imphal, August 2 (NNN): The Naga People’s Union, Imphal (NPUI) has strongly condemned the Imphal blast of Monday that had claimed 5 lives. The NPUI asked the group responsible for the act to come out and identify themselves. It said an emergency meeting was held this afternoon in connection with Monday’s blast and condemned the incident in the strongest term. Terming the blast incident as inhuman, coward and dastard, the Naga organisation of Imphal demanded from those responsible for the blast to spell out the reason for the act. NPUI then appeals all the people in the state to live harmoniously.