The blast occurred around 8.15 pm at the Wangkhem MLA’s residence in Bishnunaha, Thoubal district. The attacker and motive remain unknown, while police have begun investigating the incident.
BY PC Bureau
September 3: A suspected hand grenade exploded near the residence of Congress MLA Keisham Meghachandra Singh at Bishnunaha in Yairipok, Thoubal district, on Thursday evening, triggering a security response in the area, police said.
The explosion took place at around 8.15 pm, when an unidentified person allegedly hurled the explosive towards the residence of the Congress legislator. No injuries or casualties were reported in the incident.
Police personnel rushed to the spot soon after the blast and launched a search operation in and around the residential area. Investigators are examining the circumstances of the incident and efforts are underway to identify the person responsible.
The motive behind the attack has not yet been established, and police have not named any individual or organisation in connection with the incident.
Singh is the sitting Congress MLA from Wangkhem Assembly constituency. According to the Manipur Legislative Assembly, he has been elected to the state Assembly multiple times since 2007 and was re-elected from Wangkhem in 2022. His permanent and present address is listed as Yairipok Bishnunaha in Thoubal district.
The latest incident comes less than a week after a suspected grenade attack on the residence of BJP MLA and Manipur government spokesperson Sapam Ranjan Singh in Konthoujam, Imphal West.
In that incident, an explosive went off at around 1.30 am on August 28 at the rear of Sapam Ranjan Singh’s residence. Nobody was injured, although the blast left a small crater and caused minor damage to the compound wall. Police registered a case and began an investigation into the attack.
Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh had visited Sapam Ranjan Singh’s residence after the August 28 blast and condemned the incident as a “senseless and barbaric” attack on a people’s representative, saying those responsible would be brought to justice.
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The two incidents, involving legislators from the Congress and BJP, have occurred within a matter of days and have raised fresh concerns over security around the residences of elected representatives in Manipur.
The state has continued to grapple with the security and political fallout of the ethnic conflict that erupted in May 2023. Against this backdrop, attacks involving explosive devices at the homes of public representatives have added to concerns over the law-and-order situation.
Further details are awaited as the investigation progresses.
