3 Injured In Blast In Manipur Day Before Republic Day Celebrations

Just a day before Republic Day celebrations, a powerful bomb exploded in Manipur's Ukhrul district on Wednesday, injuring three pedestrians.

The blast, suspected to be a hand grenade, took place at the Community Circle (Gandhi Chowk) in Ukhrul town around 5 pm.

The blast created a small crater on the road and caused minor damage to some vehicles parked on the roadside, news agency PTI reported.

Of the three injured, a 49-year-old woman suffered injuries on her stomach and is in critical condition, while the other two are stated to be out of danger, PTI reported, quoting a police officer said.

The three injured were taken to Leishiphung Hospital for further treatment, said a source.

Security forces have cordoned off the area for further investigation.

Meanwhile, two banned insurgent outfits - ULFA (I) and the NSCN-K have called for a general strike tomorrow and appealed to the people to boycott the Republic Day celebration.

In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, the ULFA (I) and NSCN (K) have called for a "total shutdown" from 12:01 AM to 6 PM.

ULFA (I) has been fighting for a sovereign homeland, while NSCN (K) is also fighting for a sovereign state for the Nagas.

Preparations for Republic Day are in full swing across Assam and the other states in the northeast. The Assam Police have stated that boycott call by a few banned organizations is not new, however, peace and stability is across the region and as such preparations going in full swing.