Twin blasts rock Ukhrul on poll eve

IMPHAL: A day ahead of the crucial second phase of Manipur polls, militants triggered two simultaneous IED explosions in the Tangkhul-Naga dominated Ukhrul district bordering Myanmar on Tuesday afternoon.
An Assam Rifles personnel was injured.
The blasts occurred a couple of hours after chief secretary Oinam Nabakishore Singh convened a high-level meeting in Imphal to review security for the polls.
The first bomb exploded at a spot between Thaimol junction and Ishi when a team of 31 Assam Rifles, stationed at Kongkan post, was patrolling. The spot falls under Kamjong police station and is part of Phungyar constituency. Rifleman R Vasnet sustained splinter injuries on his leg and was airlifted to an Army hospital, sources said.
The second blast took place at a spot near 43/49 polling station at Ashang Khullen under the same police station, sources added.
An unconfirmed report said a polling personnel also sustained minor injuries. No group has claimed responsibility for the blasts till the time of filing this report.
A total of 22 seats, spread across Tamenglong, Ukhrul, Senapati and Chandel districts in the hills, and Thoubal in the valley, will go to the polls on Tuesday for which the Election Commission has taken up stringent security measures. The first phase of polls, covering 38 seats, was held on Saturday.