An improvised explosive device (IED) blast caused severe damage to a bridge on National Highway 2 in Kangpokpi, Manipur in the wee hours of Wednesday morning. The highway which was earlier caller NH 37 is the lifeline between Manipur’s Capital Imphal and Nagaland’s commercial hub, Dimapur.

The blast in the Kuki dominated area comes just ahead of the polling day for Outer Manipur Lok Sabha seat in the remaining 13 Assembly Constituencies to be held on 26th April 2024 in the phase 2 of the General Elections. Four candidates are contesting this seat – Alfred Kanngam S. Arthur (INC), Kachui Timothy Zimik (NPF), Alyson Abonmai (IND) and S. Kho John (IND).

The blast has left three holes on the bridge and disrupted traffic on the highway.

Meanwhile, Kuki Students’ Organisation – Sadar Hills, while condemning the blast, said that it “strongly believes that such act of terrorising Innocent Kuki People are carried out by mercenaries that are at the Finger tip of Meitei extremist group.”

On the other hand, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) too condemned the IED blast and demanded that the State government immediately hand over the case to National Investigation Agency (NIA).