Blasts, ambush in Manipur

Amid the Republic day celebrations in Manipur, suspected militants on Sunday triggered four powerful bomb blasts and attacked an Assam Rifles post injuring two personnel. A Major-rank officer and a rifleman were critically wounded in the attack on the post at Sajik Tampak in Chandel district near Myanmar border, while no one was injured in the blasts in different places in and around Imphal. Six major insurgent outfits in Manipur had given a call to boycott the Republic Day celebrations.

The militants first triggered an improvised explosive device near the post and in the ensuing shoot-out, the two personnel were injured. They were taken to the Military Hospital at Leimakhong, about 25 km from Imphal, official sources said. Earlier, two bombs exploded in the capital complex near the deputy commissioner's officer when the march past was on at around 8.25 am at the centrally located Kangla, while two other explosions were reported from Chingmeirong and Chingamakha on the outskirts of the city at around 11 am.

The co-ordination committee of six major insurgent outfits have given a boycott call for Republic Day celebrations over their claim that, "Manipur was forcibly merged with the Union of India".

In Jammu, Governor N N Vohra hoisted the Tricolour at Maulana Azad Stadium, saying security forces should continue to maintain a close vigil without lowering their guard till a peaceful environment emerged in Jammu and Kashmir. He asked Pakistan to maintain calm along the border and said repeated ceasefire violations and cross-border infiltration have yet again disrupted normalcy in the state.

Police sources said they have stepped up security and blocked all exit points to launch a combing operation in the capital complex. They said it was not yet clear whether the bomb was planted or hurled.