Imphal, Dec 25 (ANI): In recent days, many incidents have been reported in Manipur where militants have used grenades and bombs to speed fear among the people.

Using explosives is the latest modus operandi of militants for speeding terror and panic among Manipuris.

On December 13, unknown miscreants threw a grenade at the residence of a former employee of the Public Works Department, causing him serious injuries. The victim, Shrimayum Ibochoubi Sharma, was taken to the hospital as splinters of the grenade caused grave injuries in his abdomen. Locals say that militants wanted a share of the aid Sharma and his family get from the central government for an NGO they run.”The family runs an NGO with the help of central government aid. We do not know much. But the family needs to help people by going to work. And some of the underground outfits demanded a share,” said S Modon Singh a local.

Despite the fears this incident created, locals teamed up with the members of Ima Thambal Lairembi Nupi Kanglup and staged a protest on National Highway 150 to condemn the attack.

“Elders and woman as well as children are terrified by such incidents and the people are protesting against such acts. So we appeal that such kind of incidents should not be repeated,” said Bina Devi a local.On December 15, militants lobbed a hand grenade at the NRL oil pump complex located at Khurai Telepati. The grenade did not explode but terrified the locals before the bomb squad finally diffused it. Local women protested and condemned the act. For many of them, the complex is a source of their livelihood.

“The pump is a source of livelihood for the women around here and if it had exploded then the whole locality would have been wiped out. That’s what I didn’t like about the entire situation,” said Sushila Devi a local.

It is believed that militants had been demanding money from the petrol pump owner for some time now.

On the same day, three children were killed when a powerful bomb suddenly exploded in Churachandpur district. The bomb was believed to have been planted by some militant outfits aiming to attack security personnel passing through the area. (ANI)