One 16 Assam Rifles personnel was killed and another sustained injuries when a powerful IED exploded near Lilong Usoipokpi Makha Sangomsang, under Lilong police station in Thoubal district around 1.35 pm Wednesday, sources said.
The deceased has been identified as AR rifleman L Wangshu, 30, (rifleman no 501873) from Arunachal Pradesh and the injured as Pinku Dash, 25, (rifleman No 5015299) of Tripura, the police said.
Visiting the spot, the police told the Imphal Free Press that four AR personnel were near the spot where the blast took place. The deceased Wangshu was standing at the veranda of Sangomsang LP Madrassa at a distance of around 10 feet away from the blast site while Pinku was near the blast.
Two other riflemen, who were also standing near the spot, were left unharmed by the blast.
According to the police, it is suspected that the bomb was planted as a trap by miscreants, targeting the 16 Assam Rifles Road Opening Party (ROP) team, at a spot where they usually rest after routine work.
The bomb was planted next to a water tank of the water supply station located near a foothill, on the Eastern side at a distance of around 15 metres from National Highway 102, Imphal-Moreh road near Lilong Sangomsang, the sources said.
They said that the powerful IED exploded when the ROP team of 16 Assam Rifles, stationed at Lilong, was resting. The leader of the ROP team was near the hill before the explosion took place, they added.
The injured has been admitted to Noor Hospital at Lilong. However, Wangshu was declared brought dead. The body is kept at JNIMS.
On hearing about the blast, Thoubal District Police team led by SP Jogeshchandra Haobijam rushed to the spot and conducted a combing operation at the surrounding areas.
No arrest has been reported till the time of filing of the report.
MLA Lilong assembly constituency Y Antas Khan also arrived at the blast site to take stock of the situation.
