Two powerful bombs exploded at the United Committee Manipur (UCM) office in Lamphel, Imphal West, on Thursday evening, raising a storm of panic in the area. The main civil society group that has been at the forefront of Manipur’s socio-political scene was the target of the explosions, which happened at around 7:45 PM. The UCM office was approached by a four-wheel drive vehicle that launched what the police believe to be two grenades against the structure. One burst within the school, and the other detonated close to the main gate. Fortunately, no one was hurt at all.
Senior police officers, including Imphal West Superintendent of Police Ksh Shivakanta, DIG H. Herojit, and IG Themthing Ngasangva, quickly responded to the occurrence by traveling to the scene to evaluate the situation. On July 3, 2001, a coalition of Manipur’s civil society organizations called United Committee Manipur (UCM) was established. It was created as a component of the statewide uprising against the contentious cease-fire deal between the Indian government and the NSCN (IM). UCM was founded in the wake of the June 18, 2001 event, in which eighteen protestors lost their lives defending Manipur’s territorial integrity.
There has already been an attack on the UCM office. On February 23, 2024, some unidentified individuals set fire to the same Lamphel office. This served as a somber reminder of how unsafe civil society organizations’ operations were in this situation. No organization or person has taken credit for this attack as of yet. Additionally, the military have stepped up their operations in Manipur’s hill and valley regions, concentrating more on marginal and vulnerable areas. According to the security forces, 113 people have been arrested so far for various infractions, showing how strictly the law is enforced to uphold order and deter any disruptive elements.
