The NIA has taken over the investigation into twin blasts in Bishnupur district that injured two people on Monday.
The first blast hit an abandoned house, followed by a second explosion nearby when locals gathered at the site.
The incident has intensified tensions in Manipur, already under President’s Rule following prolonged ethnic violence.
NIA Takes Over Probe Into Twin Blasts in Manipur’s Bishnupur
Two injured in IED explosions as shutdown called amid heightened tensions in violence-hit state
Summary
Officials announced on Tuesday that the NIA has been tasked with investigating the twin explosions in the Bishnupur area of Manipur.
They reported that two people were hurt in the series of explosions that shook Ngaukon on Monday morning near the Phougakchao police station.
The first explosion happened at an abandoned house at around 5:45 in the morning and is thought to have been triggered by an improvised explosive device (IED). Around 8:45 a.m., neighbours gathered near 200 meters away after learning of the last explosion.
"The case has been forwarded to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for further investigation," a statement issued by the state police said.
"Combing and search operations are being carried out in the adjoining areas, and security has been strengthened to prevent any further escalation of violence. Investigation and operational efforts are underway to identify and apprehend those responsible for the blasts," it said.
The event heightened tensions in the unstable state, where ethnic conflicts that started in May 2023 have killed over 260 people and left thousands homeless. Since ethnic conflict began, the house where the initial explosion occurred has been abandoned, and its owner and his family are currently residing in a relief camp.
To protest the explosion, a number of organisations, including the All Manipur Students' Union and the Indigenous People Organisation, called for a 24-hour shutdown throughout the state beginning at 12 a.m. on Wednesday.
The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a Meitei civil group, called for a prompt, open, and timely investigation into the explosions.
Manipur has been under the President's Rule since February 2025, after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned amid criticisms of his administration's handling of the ethnic clashes between Kukis and Meiteis.
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