Armed assailants targeted a political meeting organised by the Indian National Congress candidate for the Lok Sabha Inner Manipur seat in Kumbi Khuga Wangma, situated in Manipur’s Bishnupur district on Tuesday afternoon.
According to eyewitness accounts, four to five perpetrators arrived at the scene in a four-wheeler and indiscriminately fired two shots at the gathering while Congress leader and former Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh was delivering a speech as part of an election campaign.
Following the attack, the assailants swiftly fled the scene via the Kumbi bridge, located approximately 300 metres away, around 3:35 pm on Tuesday.
The Congress party has nominated Dr Angomcha Bimol Akoijam as its candidate for the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat, slated for polling on April 19. Dr Akoijam finds himself in a closely contested race, facing several opponents vying for the seat.
Fortunately, there were no reported injuries during the incident, and the meeting proceeded without further disruption.
Upon investigation, police recovered two empty cartridges from the spot where the shots were fired and have since initiated an inquiry into the matter.
This marks the second instance in less than a week where armed assailants have targeted the campaign events of the Indian National Congress (INC) candidate.
Just days prior, on April 12, 2024, a similar attack occurred during a campaign event for Dr Angomcha Bimol Akoijam in Moirang, further highlighting the precarious security situation in the region.
It is worth noting that another Congress candidate, Alfred L Arthur, contesting for the Outer Seat, has also faced repeated attacks by armed criminals in Ukhrul, Manipur, in recent weeks.
In a separate incident of violence, armed militants reportedly launched an attack on an oil tanker and an LPG tanker along National Highway 37, near Tolen in Keimai, Manipur.
The attack resulted in one truck driver sustaining injuries and significant damage to at least three tankers. Security forces promptly intervened to restore order and ensure the safety of those affected by the violence.
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