1 killed, 2 Assam rifles jawans injured in blast

A 60-year old man was killed and three others including two Assam Rifles jawans were injured on Friday when a powerful bomb exploded followed exchange of fire with insurgents in Manipur's Chandel district.

Official sources said the bomb, allegedly planted by insurgents to target security personnel at a roadside at Kwatha Khunou. went off this afternoon at about 1.30 PM, injuring two Assam Rifles jawans of 24th Assam Rifles battalion who were patrolling the area near Manipur-Myanmar border.

It was also not known whether the insurgents exploded the bomb by using remote-controlled device or timer but the sources said it was a powerful explosion which could be heard at a distance of three km. First official reports said Assam Rifles personnel opened fire seconds after the explosion at the hill side where they thought insurgents were fleeing.

Two civilians, identified as Sangaijao Singh and Kaboklei, who were working nearby were injured but it was not immediately known whether they sustained injuries by the splinters of the bomb or in the exchange of fire between Assam Rifles personnel and insurgents. The sources said Sangaijao Singh died of his injuries while the injured were taken to a nearby hospital at the border town of Moreh, about three km from the spot.

A large number of police and other security forces from Moreh have aluched a manhunt but no one was arrested so far, they said, adding the insurgents reportedly escaped to nearby thick jungles.

No individual or group has claimed responsibility for the incident but banned People's Liberation Army (PLA) have been attacking security personnel at different places by exploding bombs more than five times this month.