3 Civilians Injured In Bomb Blast In SUV In Manipur's Kwakta

In yet another incident of violence in Manipur, three civilians were injured in a bomb blast this evening. The explosion took place in Bishnupur's Kwakta, an area severely affected by the ongoing ethnic violence that has plagued the state for nearly two months, according to reports.

The bomb, which was planted in an SUV parked near a culvert, detonated with considerable force. One of the injured individuals is reported to be in critical condition.

Eyewitnesses at the scene reported observing the driver abandoning the Scorpio car moments before the explosion. They also noted that there was no one else present inside the vehicle, suggesting a deliberate act.

Authorities suspect the use of an improvised explosive device (IED) in the blast, indicating a potentially organized and planned attack.

Following the incident, the three injured civilians were swiftly evacuated to the Bishnupur District Hospital for immediate medical attention.

Meanwhile, the state has extended the internet ban until Sunday as tensions continue to escalate in Manipur. The violence erupted on May 3 after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organized in the hill districts, protesting against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Since then, sporadic incidents of violence have plagued various parts of Manipur. Most recently, the house of Union Minister Rajkumar Ranjan Singh was set ablaze in Imphal, further exacerbating the already tense situation.

The root cause of the violence can be traced back to the eviction of Kukis from reserve forest land, which triggered a series of smaller agitations and ignited existing tensions among the major communities in Manipur. The Meiteis represent the majority community, followed by tribal communities such as the Nagas and Kukis.