Student killed in IED blast in Manipur; UCM office, school set ablaze in Imphal Valley

Guwahati: A 24-year student died and another was injured in a bomb blast in the office of All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU) in Imphal while the office of United Committee Manipur and a school was set ablaze in Imphal West district on Friday night.

Police said one of the victims, Oinam Kenegy, succumbed to his injuries in a private hospital at Imphal while Salam Michael, also 24, was undergoing treatment. The IED explosion took place at around 9.30pm while the UCM office and the school was set ablaze at around 12.30am. The AMSU office is situated within the campus of Dhanamanjuri University in Imphal.

Unidentified persons also set fire on Macha Leima School at Palace compound at Imphal.

No person has claimed responsibility for the attacks so far. But the violence in the Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley resulted in fresh tension amid sporadic incidents of violence involving the Meitei and the Kuki communities. More than 200 people have died in the violence since May last year.

The UCM was formed in 2001 for a united Manipur but the fire razed its office at Lamphelpat in Imphal West. UCM leaders on Saturday slammed the BJP government in the state alleging failure of its intelligence wing. They said a lot of historic documents including those related to the India-Myanmar border were reduced to ashes in the fire.

Police and paramilitary forces cordoned off the area following the explosion and started an investigation to identify the attackers.