2 wounded as twin blasts rock India's Manipur

NEW DELHI, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- At least two people were wounded Monday after two blasts rocked India's northeastern state of Manipur, multiple local media reports said.

The two consecutive blasts went off in the Nganukon area of Bishnupur district, about 53 km south of Imphal, the capital city of Manipur.

According to a local media report,the first explosion occurred at around 5:45 a.m., local time, at an abandoned house in Ngaukon in the Phougakchao police station area.

The second explosion occurred nearly 200 meters away around 8:45 a.m. when locals gathered after getting news of the earlier blast, and in this blast, two persons sustained splinter wounds in their legs.

Both the wounded persons were immediately removed to the government hospital and are stated to be out of danger.

Following the blasts, police teams rushed to the scene to conduct an investigation.

Manipur has been on edge since May 3, 2023, when large-scale violence broke out in the state during a tribal protest over the inclusion of the non-tribal Meitei community for a scheduled tribe status, designated for disadvantaged socio-economic groups, which gives them reservations in education and government jobs.

Efforts by the federal government to restore peace in the state have not yielded the desired results.