Repeated explosions in Kangpokpi district of Manipur have put villagers on edge, with a woman losing her leg and livestock reportedly killed in separate incidents. Residents are demanding a bomb disposal operation to detect and neutralise unexploded devices.
BY PC Bureau
November 10: Fields meant for growing crops and grazing cattle have reportedly turned into potential danger zones in Kangpokpi district of Manipur, following a series of explosions that have alarmed residents. In the latest incident, a 41-year-old Gorkha woman lost her left leg after stepping on a suspected landmine while tending to cattle near Bazaghari village on Tuesday.
The incident has also triggered a political controversy, with the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), Sadar Hills, accusing armed cadres of the NSCN-IM and ZUF-K of allegedly planting landmines and other explosive devices in civilian-populated areas of the Twilang region.
The victim, identified as Durga Devi Bhattarai, a mother of three, was grazing cattle in a field near Bazaghari village under Irang Part-II when the explosion occurred. The blast reportedly took place between 10 am and 11.45 am after she stepped on a device concealed beneath the ground.
The explosion left her critically injured and resulted in the loss of her left leg. She was first taken to Kangpokpi Christian Hospital before being shifted to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal for further treatment.
Her husband, Jeevan Bhattarai, who serves as the secretary of Bazaghari village, said the incident occurred while she was looking after their cattle in the fields surrounding the settlement.
The explosion is reportedly the third such incident in the locality in the past four to five days, raising fears that additional explosive devices may be lying undetected in agricultural land and grazing areas.
According to the victim’s family, a cow belonging to another villager, Amar Bahadur Basnet, died on Monday after reportedly coming into contact with a similar device. Residents also recalled hearing another explosion four to five days earlier, allegedly triggered when a wild animal stepped on an explosive.
The succession of blasts has left villagers apprehensive about venturing into their fields or allowing livestock to graze. Residents fear that more explosives could be buried in areas regularly used for farming and other everyday activities.
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CoTU Blames NSCN-IM and ZUF-K
Reacting to the incident, CoTU accused armed cadres of the NSCN-IM and ZUF-K of allegedly placing landmines and explosive devices in civilian-populated parts of the Twilang region.
The organisation said the alleged use of explosives in areas frequented by villagers had exposed ordinary people to grave danger. It warned that farmers, cattle owners and other residents should not have to risk their lives while carrying out routine livelihood activities.
CoTU described the alleged planting of explosives in civilian areas as a serious violation of civilian safety and said agricultural fields and grazing grounds must not become battlegrounds or zones of indiscriminate danger.
Citing international humanitarian law, the committee referred to Articles 3(7) and 3(8) of the 1996 Amended Protocol II to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW). These provisions place restrictions on the use of mines and booby traps against civilians and their indiscriminate deployment.
The organisation called on the governments of India and Manipur to take stringent action against the armed NSCN-IM and ZUF-K factions and ensure that those responsible for the alleged placement of explosives are identified and prosecuted.
It also demanded the immediate deployment of a Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) to inspect the affected localities, locate concealed explosive devices and neutralise them before further casualties occur.
Expressing solidarity with Bhattarai and her family, CoTU maintained that armed confrontations and territorial or political disputes could never justify putting civilian lives at risk.
Gorkha organisations express solidarity with victim
The incident has also drawn condemnation from local community representatives and social workers.
Social worker Soshim Gurung visited Bhattarai at RIMS Hospital in Imphal and expressed concern over her condition.
The Manipur Gorkha Welfare Union (MGWU) condemned the explosion, describing it as a heinous act. It expressed solidarity with the injured woman and her family and pledged to support their efforts to seek justice.
Villagers have called on the authorities to register a case, investigate the source and nature of the explosives and establish how the devices came to be present in the area.
They have also demanded a comprehensive search of the surrounding fields, grazing grounds and other vulnerable locations by a Bomb Disposal Squad.
With three explosions reportedly occurring within a few days, residents fear that the danger may extend beyond the site of Tuesday’s blast. The incidents have raised urgent questions about civilian safety in Manipur hills, where farming and cattle grazing are essential to everyday life.
