|HT|

Two personnel of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), who were on election duty for the state assembly elections in Manipur, sustained injuries in a radio-controlled improvised explosive device (RC-IED) blast in Kakching district on Sunday night, police said. The two injured personnel are constable Girja Shanker, 30, and constable Gourav Rai, 26, of Uttarakhand.

The incident occurred around 8pm near a pharmacy in Wangoo Lupa Marup, Imphal-Sugnu road, said Shrey Vats ,superintendent of police ( SP), Kakching.

“The radio-controlled-improvised explosive device (RC-IED) was triggered when the ITBP personnel was on routine patrol duty along the road stretch,” said SP.

The injured ITBP personnel were evacuated to Jivan hospital in Kakching district headquarter. However, they were shifted to Imphal Shija Hospital Monday early morning.

“They got injured to leg and chest, now they are out of seriousness”, said SP.

The first information report (FIR) has been lodged and police are on investigation to map out the culprits. So far, no one from militants’ side has claimed the responsibility of the blast. However, it is suspected to be done by UG militants, SP said. “The attack was done by RC-IED battery and wire, it was not a granade or remote control attack”, said SP.

Security arrangement has been stepped up in the district in the aftermath of the incident. The district SP along with other police officers rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation.

Elections to Manipur’s 60-member assembly are scheduled in two phases on February 28 and March 5. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

(Except for the headline and the pictorial description, this story has not been edited by THE DEN staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)