Three improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were safely defused by the army in the Imphal East district of Manipur, a defence spokesperson announced today.
The IEDs were discovered concealed along the road connecting Nongdam and Itham villages, which are 46 kilometers apart. This specific section of the road is nearer to Maphou Dam and Nongdam village.
"During a routine area-domination and surveillance operation, army personnel noticed the three IEDs placed, in tandem, along the road. Army column acted swiftly and cordoned off the area," stated the defence spokesperson.
"Subsequently, a bomb disposal squad arrived at the location and defused the IEDs safely, preventing potential loss of life and injury to locals," the spokesperson added.
Manipur, which has been affected by ethnic violence, is still struggling to regain normalcy a year after clashes erupted between the valley-dominant Meiteis and the hill-dominant Kuki tribes.
Security forces continue to monitor sensitive areas, particularly where villages of the two communities intersect, especially near the foothills surrounding the state capital, Imphal Valley.