Militants explode powerful bomb at hospital

IMPHAL: Militants exploded a powerful bomb inside Regional Institute of Medical Science and Hospital (RIMSH) in the heart of Manipur capital compex here but there was no casualty, official sources said on Monday.
    
The bomb was planted at the entrance of the pathology department and went off at around 10 p.m on Sunday night damaging some windows and doors.
   
The out patient department and emergency wards were closed today as RIMSH Employees Association refrained from work in protest against the blast, hospital sources said.
   
RIMSH superintendent Y Mohen said while there was tight security at the hospital complex on all working days, security measures were somewhat relaxed during night time and on Sundays and holidays.
   
Condemning the blast, Manipur works minister K Ranjit, Planning and development authority Chairman Kh Loken and education minister L Jayenta Kumar, who visited RIMSH minutes after the incident, termed it as an act of terrorism.
   
A person who claimed to be the spokesman of Kangleipak Communist Party-Military Council (KCP-MC) said that the blast was the handiwork of a demonstration team of the 5th Lanjaba (war) unit of the outfit but did not give  any reason for it.
   
RIMSH said KCP-MC had earlier demanded a huge sum of money from the employees of the hospital, including doctors.