Imphal, Apr 8: The death toll in the firing by security forces when a mob tried to storm a CRPF camp in Manipur’s Bishnupur district during a protest a day ago rose to three on Wednesday, police said.
The Manipur Police also revised the number of injured in the incident, increasing it to 30.
A large number of youths and women were holding a protest against the killing of two children in a bomb attack by suspected militants in the Moirang Tronglaobi area on Tuesday, when the situation turned violent.
In a statement, police said security forces resorted to firing when the around 500-strong mob tried to force their way into the CRPF camp at Gelmol village in Bishnupur district.
The security force tried to pacify the mob, but they started burning the vehicles and other properties of the security forces, it said.
“As the mob tried to force its way into the camp, security forces opened fire,” police said, adding three people died while 30 were injured.
It all started with suspected militants hurling a bomb at a house in Moirang Tronglaobi on Tuesday, killing a five-year-old boy and his six-month-old sister and injuring their mother, when all of them were sleeping.
Angered by the incident, people attacked a CRPF camp, prompting security forces to open fire. The protesters were unhappy with the security forces for allegedly failing to take action against the militants.
3 suspected UKNA cadres held for bomb attack
Three suspected members of a proscribed outfit have been arrested in connection with the bomb blast at Tronglaobi in Manipur’s Bishnupur district that killed two children, police said on Wednesday.
The arrests have been made in Churachandpur district, a police statement said.
Violence broke out in Manipur’s Bishnupur district on Tuesday as two children were killed in the bomb attack on their home, while two others were shot dead when a mob stormed into a CRPF camp during a protest against the blast.
On Wednesday, police said, “In various operations launched in the aftermath of the Tronglaobi incident, three cadres, suspected to be of the United Kuki National Army (UKNA), were arrested in Churachandpur District with arms and ammunition.”
Those arrested have been identified as Jampao Kuki, Sasang and Paulallem Vaiphai, police said, adding that an AK-47 rifle with 25 bullets, a pistol with 15 rounds, Rs 20,100 cash, and two sacks of raw opium weighing 21.19 kg were seized from them.
Moreover, search operations in the Molphei Tampak area of Churachandpur led to the seizure of an automatic rifle, a pistol and other arms, they said.
Police said the bomb blast was “followed by protests in many areas of the Valley, with agitators putting up road blockades at various places. Security forces brought the situation under control.”
Flag marches and area domination exercises were conducted by the security forces in Imphal, Thoubal, Bishnupur and Churachandpur areas to control the situation, they added.
The UKNA, in a press statement, however, denied its involvement in the Tronglaobi incident. It also rejected that three of its members have been nabbed. (PTI)
