Unidentified men on two motorcycles threw a crude bomb at the residence of a BJP MLA in violence-hit Manipur on Thursday night. The Improvised Explosive Device (IED) exploded at the gate of the residence, tearing multiple holes in the tin protective covering of the gate, visuals from the spot showed.
Kebi Devi is the BJP MLA from Naoriya Pakhanglakpa constituency in Imphal West district, and was at her residence when the incident took place.
"We found a packet with what seemed like a burning fuse. We poured water on it. It smelled of gunpowder. We thought the water must have worked, but on touching it, the fuse seemed very long and felt hot to touch. It exploded after a minute or so. The explosion was like a big firecracker. There was no shrapnel. We suspect whoever put it there wanted to scare us," the MLA's household staff said. Videos from after the incident, though, showed multiple holes in the tin gate at the entrance. It is unclear if those were from before.
Violence broke out in Manipur on May 3 after a protest by the Kuki tribe, who are settled in the hills, against the valley-majority Meiteis' demand for inclusion under the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category, which grants reservations under India's affirmative action policy.
The prolonged ethnic violence has led to around 37,450 people from different communities being displaced from their homes, and sheltered in 272 relief camps, including community halls, in 13 districts of the northeastern state.
The centre has sanctioned a Rs 101.75 crore package to provide relief to those who have been displaced.
Security advisor to the Manipur government, Kuldiep Singh, has said that with the recovery of another 27 arms and 245 pieces of ammunition in the last 24 hours, the security forces in Manipur have so far recovered 896 sophisticated and automatic arms and 11,763 pieces of ammunition, which were looted from the police and various other security establishments since the ethnic riots broke out.
The security forces have also recovered 200 live bombs from different districts.
At least 98 people have lost their lives and 310 others have been injured after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for ST status.
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in and around the Imphal Valley. Tribals, including Kukis, constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.
Around 10,000 Army and Assam Rifles personnel have been deployed in the state to restore peace.
