PLA owns up to Sunday blast, toll rises to 8

Addressing the media, following the PLA claim, Manipur Director General of Police Y Joykumar denied the allegation. 8220;The state police has not made any arrests in that area on Sunday. I have cross-checked the same with the Assam Rifles and the Army, and their answer is the same. The police cannot be omnipresent, and we appeal to the people to be alert and bring to our notice anything suspicious.8221;

Continuing their search for the perpetrators, a combined team of state police commandos, Assam Rifles and BSF launched an operation against suspected PLA militants in Baruni Hills in Imphal East district on Monday. According to police reports, the militants fired grenade launchers at the security forces convoy near Nongmaipan village and then escaped the retaliatory fire. In spite of a heavy cordon and search operation, apparently, the militants managed to escape. Reports added that both sides used heavy firepower, including mortars and Rocket Propelled Grenades RPG. Although no casualties were reported on the militants8217; side, one police commando was injured. Local reports added that the residents of Nongmaipan have fled the village following the encounter. Around 40 heavily armed PLA militants were said to have camped overnight at Nongmaipan.