Manipur: 3 blasts damage bridge in Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi days before phase 2 of LS polls
Suspected militants triggered three IED explosions damaging a crucial bridge along Asian Highway 1 (National Highway 1), a vital lifeline connecting Imphal and Dimapur on Tuesday night.
The blast took place at Kuki-dominated Saparmeina in Kangpokpi district of Manipur two days ahead of voting for the second phase of Lok Sabha elections for the Manipur Outer constituency.
No casualty has so far been reported in the blast, police said.
Three craters and cracks on both ends of the bridge were noticed, they also said.
Movement of heavy vehicles has been stopped on the bridge connecting Manipur’s capital Imphal with Nagaland’s Dimapur.
So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack and investigations are ongoing. Security forces have sealed the spot along with nearby areas and checking is underway at additional bridges.
In a statement, Manipur police confirmed that a bridge on National Highway 2 in the ethnically troubled Kangpokpi district of Manipur suffered partial damage in an IED explosion early on Wednesday.
“The incident led to the disruption of traffic movement in the area,” they said.
Soon after the blast, police officers rushed to the spot and cordoned off the bridge promptly minutes after the explosion occurred. An investigation into the IED blast has been initiated.
The blast occurred hours after a gunfight ensued between village volunteers of the two opposing communities in Imphal West district on April 23.
In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Manipur police said, “Movement of 204 vehicles along NH-2 with essential items have been ensured. Strict security measures are taken up in all vulnerable locations and security convoy is provided in sensitive stretches to ensure free and safe movement of the vehicles.”
Meanwhile, the Coordination Committee on Manipur Integrity (CORCOMI) condemned the blast and demanded an immediate and comprehensive investigation into the incident.
“The state government must swiftly hand over the case to NIA to ensure justice to the affected people,” the organization said in a statement.
“This is not an isolated occurrence, a similar attack took place in the Kwakta area of the Churachandpur district border on June 21, 2023. The NIA had previously probed into this incident leading to the arrest of some individuals from the Kuki community,” the statement also said.
“Adding to the distress, a recent assault targeted LPG and petroleum tankers along National Highway 37, particularly in the Kaimai area under Tamenglong district, on April 16, 2024. Gunfire inflicted damage on the tankers, resulting in oil and gas leakages and injuries to several drivers. The perpetrators, identifying themselves as the United Kuki National Army (UKNA), issued threats of further violence, challenging both the government’s authority and the Metei community,” the statement further said.
“This reprehensible act constitutes a blatant war crime, considering the targeted highway’s critical role as a lifeline for 3.5 million inhabitants in the region. It underscores the attackers’ callous disregard for human life and fundamental humanitarian principles. All parties involved, including the KSO executive, must undergo a thorough investigation, as they may possess crucial information regarding the incident, the statement added.
On the other hand, the Kuki Students Organisation (KSO-Sadar Hills) condemned the blast that rocked Sadar Hills destroying the concrete slab bridge that connects the Kuki areas down south from Sapormeina with Kangpokpi.
The KSO-Sadar Hills strongly believed that such acts of terrorising Innocent Kuki people are carried out by mercenaries that are at the fingertip of the Meitei extremist group.
The KSO-Sadar Hills cautioned all individuals who enjoy free passage in and out of the Kuki area.
“In case, if found an accomplice, the right to free passage in the Kuki area will be reconsidered and the KSO-Sadar Hills urges the concerned authority to deal appropriately,” it added.
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