North East News Agency

In an effort to teach lesson to one shopkeeper who dared not to pay tax to the militants, outlawed Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL)  killed two and injured more than 20 more by lobbing a bomb at the crowded  Thangal Bazar  near Indian Overseas Bank located at Allu Galli in Imphal.

According to eye witnesses a youth clad in a black T shirt running away from the site seconds before the bomb exploded.

Proscribed Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) has claimed responsibility for Imphal market blast. In a statement KYKL said the blast was not aimed at the general public and was the result of a blunder. Apologising for its deadly mistake, the KYKL said the blast was aimed at a shop at Allu Gali in Imphal’s Thangal Bazar and not the public. According to the outfit the reason for the attack was failure of the shop to pay tax. Mollifying the public with promise of monetary compensation to the next of kin of those killed, the outfit also pledged to bear the medical expenses of those injured in the blast.

That may be KYKL’s way to deal with precious human lives, but the victims are not at all convinced with the apology. Binasakhi, who is serving as a teacher at the Ibotonsana Higher Secondary School stated that if the bomb blast was the handiwork of an underground organisation, it was an uncivilised act of the organization. She is nursing an injury at a city hospital caused by the blast.

Along with Binasakhi, several civil society bodies, student bodies and political parties have expressed strong condemnation over the bomb blast saying it was a terrorist act and anti-people.

All Manipur Students Union said it was a weakness on part of the security forces at the blast site to have failed to detect any suspicious activities in the area even though the place was heavily guarded by police and other security agencies.

Expressing strong condemnation, the United Peoples Front said the bomb attack was a terrorist act and such incidents have severely undermined the Manipur society. It also expressed apprehension that the bomb blast could be the handiwork of agencies which are trying to distort revolutionary movements being launched by several groups in Manipur. It also appealed to all concerned not to repeat such incidents in future.

According to the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Manipur state council the State Government should take up immediate action to stop all forms of terrorism in the state. It also demanded protection of civilian life and property.

The National Students Union of India (NSU) in condemnation said that the bomb attack in a crowded area was an act of cowardice and such action must be condemned by all civil societies.

Bhartiya Janata Party, Manipur Pradesh has appealed to all concerned not to repeat such acts in future. Regarding the killing of one youth in the aftermath of the incident in Kalibari area, BJP said that the police could have apprehended the youth and carried out thorough investigations to find out clues to the incident.

The National Identity Protection Committee (NIPCO) said it was an act of terrorism.

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