Ahead of polls, JD(U) candidate shot at in Manipur

Imphal, Feb 27 (IANS) Incidents of violence continued in poll bound Manipur with a Janata Dal (United) candidate was shot at late on Saturday night by unknown armed persons, police said on Sunday.

Police said that Wahengbam Rojit Singh, the JD(U) candidate contesting from AKshetrigao Assembly constituency, was shot at by two bike borne armed miscreants when he along with his party men was returning home after his poll related activities.

Singh, with bullet wounds, immediately shifted to a private hospital. The security forces have launched a search operation in the Imphal East district to nab the unknown perpetrators.

The Kshetrigao Assembly seat is among the 38 constituencies where polling is scheduled to be held on Monday in the first phase of the two-phase Manipur Assembly elections.

In another incident on Saturday night, two people, including a child, were killed and five others injured when a bomb was exploded at a house in Gangpimual village in Churachandpur district.

Both the incidents occurred with less than 48 hours left for polling in five districts.

The explosion is a major incident of violence since the schedule of the Manipur Assembly elections were declared on January 8 by the Election Commission.

In the run-up to the polls, the National People’s Party (NPP), an estranged ally of the BJP-led government in Manipur, had earlier complained to the Election Commission (EC) that its candidates were being threatened by the cadres of the several militant outfits.

Earlier on February 19, NPP’s Andro constituency Candidate L. Sanjoy Singh’s father L. Shamjai Singh was shot in the right shoulder by unidentified gunmen while he was at a campaign programme at Yairipok Yambem Leikai.

The Opposition Congress and other political parties have been repeatedly demanding the EC to further tighten the security in view of the threat of violence by the unknown miscreants or suspected militants.

The elections to the 60-seat Manipur Assembly would be held in two phases on February 28 and March 5. Votes will be counted on March 10.

–IANS

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