At least 18 people were killed and 27 seriously injured in a powerful bomb blast near the high-security Police Commandos’ Complex in Imphal, the capital of Manipur, late on Tuesday.
The toll is likely to rise, police sources said. Police officers said severed limbs and body parts were scattered outside the police training facility.
The sources added that the Tuesday attack — the second since a bomb exploded close to Chief Minister Ibobi Singh’s heavily fortified residence on Sunday — was by far the biggest ever in the state capital.
News agency IANS, quoting Imphal Superintendent of Police Radheshyam, said the bomb was planted on a moped.
The Tuesday blast occurred around 7:45 pm in the area between Ragailong village gate and the entrance gate of the police commando complex in Imphal West district.
News agencies, quoting official sources, said that unidentified militants targeted the place where security personnel and civilians were gambling ahead of Diwali.
The police, however, have no clue about the identity of the attackers as no militant group operating in the state claimed responsibility for the attack.
Militants of the Cobra Task Force of the banned militant outfit, the People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), had claimed responsibility for the blast near the Chief Minister’s residence two days ago.
The police, however, have no clue about the identity of the attackers as no militant group operating in the state claimed responsibility for the attack.
Militants of the Cobra Task Force of the banned militant outfit, the People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), had claimed responsibility for the blast near the Chief Minister’s residence two days ago.