Imphal, April 7 Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh on Tuesday said that the state government has decided to hand over the investigation into the bomb attack in Bishnupur district, which claimed the lives of two children, to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Addressing a press conference here, Singh condemned the incident in the strongest terms and said that the act appears to be the "work of individuals or groups with vested interests in disturbing the prevailing peace in the state".
He said that the decision to hand over the case to NIA was taken after detailed discussions with the state home minister and other MLAs.
Earlier in the day, Singh described the attack as a "barbaric act" and assured the people that those responsible for the crime would be identified and dealt with firmly under the law.
"We believe the attack was carried out by those who want to disturb peace in the state. We have told security forces to apprehend the perpetrators at the earliest, even today if possible," the CM said.
The chief minister said that the perpetrators are yet to be identified at this stage and that a massive combing operation was currently underway.
"Security forces, including police, Assam Rifles and CRPF, have been deployed. Helicopters are also being used. The culprits will be caught at the earliest," he said.
The bomb attack occurred at around 1 am on Tuesday when a bomb was hurled by suspected militants at a house in Moirang Tronglaobi area, killing a 5-year-old boy and a six-month-old girl, and injuring their mother, a senior officer said.
The two children and their mother were sleeping in their bedroom when the bomb exploded in the house, the police officer said.
Appealing to the public, the CM urged people to remain calm and not give in to emotions.
He asked citizens to cooperate with the ongoing operations and support efforts to restore normalcy.
His comment comes after locals staged a protest this morning and torched two oil tankers and a truck near a petrol pump in the Tronglaobi area.
They burnt tyres in front of the Moirang Police Station and destroyed a makeshift police outpost.
Security forces have been deployed in the area to control the situation, the officer said.
People also burnt tyres in different parts of Imphal to protest the killing of the two minors.
They stopped the movement of vehicles at Pangei and Khurai in Imphal East district and Langthabal in Imphal West, and burnt tyres in the middle of the roads.
State Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam also said two persons were killed and five others injured in firing after a mob stormed a CRPF camp in Bishnupur district.
The agitators also torched vehicles and vandalised a portion of the camp
during the protest against the killing of two children in the bomb attack by suspected militants.