Four killed, 40 injured in blast at ISKCON temple

Imphal, Aug 17 (UNI) Four people have died so far and 40 others sustained injuries in last night's blast at ISKCON temple complex here Ten, including few women, were seriously injured and the toll may rise. Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has termed the attack as an act of terrorism and cowardice. Mr Singh late last night also visited the injured at Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS),Imphal.

Mr Singh said the government will pay ex-gratia to those killed and extend financial assistance to those injured. The deceased were identified as Bikram, Anand , Prabin and Binod Kumar.

Mr Singh refused the claim that there was a lapse of security.

No one had expected such an attack during a religious congregation.

Janmashtami is an extremely popular festival in Manipur.

Another hand grenade was found in the temple complex last midnight and was defused by bomb experts. The entire area has been cordoned off for security reasons. The death toll had been increasing as about ten were grievously injured. A man had died on the spot and later three others succumbed to their injuries.

Senior Cabinet ministers, MLAs, officials also visited the temple complex to take stock of the situation.

It may be noted that around 7 pm last evening unknown miscreants had lobbed a Chinese made hand grenade inside the temple complex of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) temple, Sangaiporou, Imphal. The injured include Maharaj Swami Damudor and two American devotees.

Thousands of people were coming to the temple complex where a special stage had been erected in view of the Janmashtami celebrations. Devotees were staging a Ras Leela performance when the attack was made.

The Revolutionary People's Front (RPF) a proscribed militant outfit operating in the state has described the attack as a thoughtless action. It condemned the attack when a religious congregation was going on.

The All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU) condemned the incident and described the attack as an act of terrorism.

The celebrations which were supposed to go ahead past midnight came to an abrupt end. Due to the blasts the celebrations in other parts of the state like Shri Shri Govindajee temple, Mahabali temple also came to an end.

Condemnations from all over the state are pouring in and it is not yet known who was involved in the attack.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident the SP of Imphal East said a team of Commando Imphal East conducted frisking and checking at Lamlong, Imphal East and arrested one Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) activist namely Anil and recovered one demand letter.

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