Four blasts mark Manipur I-Day function; 4 injured

Imphal: The Independence Day celebrations passed off peacefully in the northeastern States except in Manipur where suspected militants triggered four blasts, almost simultaneously, to oppose the celebrations.

Like every year, this year too the security concerns over militant attacks and boycott call by militant outfits in the region restricted the Independence Day celebration in most of the States.

Apart from Assam-based United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa), all the major militant outfits of Meghalaya and Tripura had asked the people to boycott the Independence Day celebrations this year. The Coordination Committee, an umbrella organisation of seven major militant outfits of Manipur had also called for boycott of the celebrations.

Four people were injured in Thoubal, Imphal East and Imphal West districts of Manipur, where suspected militants triggered four blasts.

The first blast took place around 8 am on Wednesday in the remote Thoubal district of Manipur, police said, adding that another three blasts went off in Imphal East and Imphal West districts between 9 am to 10 am.

All the three explosions took place when Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh was delivering his Independence Day speech at the 1st Manipur Rifles’ Parade Ground.

Manipur Police have confirmed the hands of Coordination Committee behind the blasts.

Independence Day was celebrated in all the district headquarters and subdivisions in Assam amid tight security. The celebrations, however, remained low profile because of the security constraints due to boycott calls given by the militant outfits.

The Assam Government had sounded an alert ahead of the Independence Day and additional forces have been deployed across the State to ensure smooth conduction of the celebrations.

Official sources said tat the celebrations in three districts of Assam — Kokrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri were hit as most of the people are still living in relief camps due to the recent clash between two communities — the Bodos and the Bengali-speaking Muslim settlers.

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi kicked off the official celebrations at the Veterinary Ground in Khanapara area of Guwahati by hoisting the Tricolour. Gogoi expressed concern over the recent ethnic clashes in the three districts of Assam and assured the displaced of taking up all the measures for their return from the relief camps.

The Assam Chief Minister also expressed the Government’s commitments in implementing the Assam Accord in its true spirit and said that steps have been taken to identify and deport illegal immigrants. Fencing work on the Indo-Bangladesh border is to be completed very soon, Gogoi said.

He also said that during last 11 years the Congress Government has worked for economic growth and the results are evident. “While peace is returning to the State, there have been massive growth in agriculture productivity and per capital income of the people have grown substantially,” he added.

A general shutdown marred the Independence Day celebrations in Meghalaya, where Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) had called for a general shutdown and asked people to boycott the celebrations.

In Tripura, the banned All Tripura Tigers Force (ATTF) and National Liberation front of Tripura (NLFT) had called for a general boycott of the Independence Day celebrations.