1 killed in IED blast in Manipur

At least one person was killed and four others, all from West Bengal, were injured due to the explosion of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at a community hall in central Manipur's Thoubal district on Monday, police said.

Police said that the IED was detonated through a remote control, seriously injuring five people.

The injured were immediately taken to the Thoubal district hospital, where Pankaj Mahato, 21, succumbed to his injuries.

The blast occurred when the workers were sleeping at a Community Hall at Khongjom.

Those who were critically injured include Aroop Mandal, 30, Souvik Patra, 18, Aporva Mandal, 25 and Rajesh Ramaanik, 19 and they belong to South 24 Parganas and other districts of West Bengal.

The five workers were engaged by a private company to construct a water tank.

Police led by senior officials have rushed to the spot, 50 km south of the state capital Imphal, and launched a search operation to nab the perpetrators.

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, who also holds the home portfolio, condemned the blast, terming the attack as an act of cowardice.

"Targetting innocent workers who are working for their livelihood and developmental projects in Manipur are an act of cowardice," Singh told the media.

Even as the motive behind the attack remains unclear and the attackers were not identified yet, the police have registered a case in the Khongjom police station in connection with the incident and launched a probe.