Seven bus passengers killed, 22 hurt as IED attack catches wrong target,Hospital emergency wards overwhelmed, resemble charnel house
By : A Staff Reporter 12/17/2007 2:01:00 AM
IMPHAL, Dec 16: At least seven persons, including five female died and 22 others were wounded, several of them severely in a powerful blast that ripped through a crowded Pukhao-bound mini-bus this evening near Paorabi, under Lamlai police station, about 15 km north of Imphal along the Imphal Ukhrul road .
There is a possibility that the number of dead could increase, as several of the wounded were in grave condition.
According to reports from the spot, the mini-bus, registration no. MN03-5286, a Canter plying between Imphal and Pukhao, was caught in the explosion of an improvised explosive device planted on the road, apparently with the objective of attacking security forces.
According to a few eyewitnesses, a military convoy was travelling on the same route at the time, and it is possible that the IED was intended to target the convoy.
The blast which went off directly underneath the bus was so powerful that the vehicle was hurled about 20 feet into a roadside paddy field.
Over a score of passengers sustained splinter wounds resulting from the explosion, some of them having their lower limbs ripped right off. Others were hurt due to the impact when the bus was hurled into the air and hit the ground hard after the explosion.
Reports said the canter, which was the last bus of the day, was heavily overcrowded, with some 15 to 20 passengers also riding on the roof.
Three of the passengers, two of them girls, died on the spot, one died at JN hospital, Porompat, and three others were declared brought dead at RIMS hospital casualty ward.
All of the wounded were evacuated to the JN hospital, whose emergency staff were quickly overwhelmed due to the number and severe nature of injuries, and several of them were referred to RIMS.
The JN hospital emergency ward was a scene of chaos when reporters arrived, with several wounded passengers being treated on the floor of the ward as there weren’t enough beds to accomodate them all.
One of the wounded, Laishram Devika, 13, of Sawombung Huidrom Leikai, died even as she was speaking to reporters.
Among the other dead, Senjam Inao Devi, 25, daughter of Godadhor, of Keibi Tiger Camp, Hijam Athoi Devi, 19, daughter of Borojaoba of Sekta Mayai Leikai, and Soibam Bobi, 31, of Keibi Heikak, died on the spot.
Three others, Senjam Surbala Devi, 22, of Keibi Tiger Camp, Oinam Bobby, 19 of Uyumpok Maning Leikai, and Khangenbam Ibochou, 43, of Keibi were declared brought dead at RIMS hospital.
The wounded admitted to JN hospital included Singdam Premananda, 25, of Keibi Awang Leikai, who had his left leg severed in the explosion, apart from other injuries, Wahengbam Bembem, 13, daughter of W Pakpa, of Heikak Mapal Keibi, who sustained injuries at both legs, Wahengbam Baibita Devi, 13, daughter of Kuber, of Keibi Heikak Mapal, Ahanthem Kala, 35, of Keibi Heikak Mapal, who sustained serious wounds at the left leg as well as burn injuries, Heikrujam Herojit, 35, of Heikrujam village, injured at both legs, Keisham Somorendr, 35, of Keibi Heikak Mapal, Takhelambam Kennedy, 23, of Keibi Kumuda, Ningombam Sanamcha, 20, of Huidrom Sawombung, Ngambram Somen, 21, of Keibi Kumuda, Sagolsem Rebitra, 16, of Sawombung Huidrom.
Those admitted at RIMS hospital include Micheal, 25, of Keibi, Sinam Nandakumar, 25, of Keibi Awang Leikai, Ng Herojit, 25, of Sekta Mamang Leikai, Sinam Surjit, 26 of Heikak Mayai Leikai, Heikrujam Herojit, of Uyumpok, Heikrujam Rasheshwori of Keibi, Th Abung of Keibi Awang Leikai, Maibam Amar of Uyumpok Mamang Leikai, Ningthoujam Shaymkumar of Andru and Ch Shyamkumar of Andro.
Injured sisters Wahengbam Bember and Wahengbam Babita, both students of Oreintal English School, were returning after attending a painting competition at Imphal Art College today. They told reporters that the canter had started from GM Hall, Imphal, at around 4:15 pm, towards Pukhao with a full load of passengers riding both inside and on top.
Near Pukhao, they said, they saw an Army vehicle moving ahead of them, and suddenly they heard a massive explosion and their bus went flying in the air and fell into a paddy field on the eastern side.
Other witnesses also said there were at least three Army vehicles moving in a convoy, and one of them had overtaken the canter when the explosion took place.
Senior minister Ph Parijat visited both RIMS and JN hospital this evening to inquire into the condition of the wounded. Speaking to mediapersons, he denounced the blast as an act of terrorism. He also said he would ask the government to tighten security in the rural areas, and on inter district roads to prevent such incidents in the future. He also assured to provide ex-gratia of Rs. 1 lakhs to the families of the deceased before the shradaha ceremony, and Rs 25 thousand to the badly injured victims and Rs 5 thousand for other injured immediately from the government side.
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Rail fed POL depot to be set up in Manipur
By : A Staff Reporter 12/16/2007 12:49:27 AM
IMPHAL, Dec 15: A rail fed petroleum products storage centre having a storage capacity of at least 90 days consumption will be developed in Imphal soon, an official here said Saturday.
Manipur government’s proposal of setting up the rail fed POL depot centre at Malom, 6 km away from Imphal was inspected by the officials of the Indian Railways and Indian Oil Company, IOC. They will soon propose for the acquisition of 45 acres of land in the said site which is required for the construction of the storage, it added.
Mention may be made that Manipur government proposed for increasing the tankage capacity in the state to 60 days to the IOC and Union ministry of petroleum many times since two years back.
Following the state appraisal, IOC officials have visited Imphal and have seen the land on NH-39 and near the proposed railway line in Imphal valley, but there is no progress, the source maintained.
A meeting held in Imphal on November 30 last between Manipur chief secretary and IOC representatives discussed the location of new rail fed POL depot in and around Imphal.
In the meeting IOC representatives proposed the site at Malom and inspected the same after the meeting along with officials of the Indian Railways, the source added.
Manipur government has been proposing for increasing the tankage capacity of petroleum products citing that low storage capacity of MS and diesel can cause serious ethnic and law and order problems, as many times due to frequent bandhs and blockades, state has to resort to rationing of the MS and diesel.
Manipur consumes 72 KL of MS daily while the tankage capacity of the same in the state POL depot is 1085 KL which is only for 15 days, tankage capacity HSD is 2483 KL which is for 18 days on daily consumption level of 137 KL.
Tankage capacity of ATF is 600 KL for 50 days against daily consumption level of 12 KL. Daily consumption level of KSO is 76 KL and the tankage capacity is for 2528 KL which for 33 days.
The tankage capcity of LPG is 600 KL. This is sufficient for 15 days as the daily level of consumption is 40 KL.
http://www.ifp.co.in/
Picture Source: The Sangai Express
By : A Staff Reporter 12/17/2007 2:01:00 AM
IMPHAL, Dec 16: At least seven persons, including five female died and 22 others were wounded, several of them severely in a powerful blast that ripped through a crowded Pukhao-bound mini-bus this evening near Paorabi, under Lamlai police station, about 15 km north of Imphal along the Imphal Ukhrul road .
There is a possibility that the number of dead could increase, as several of the wounded were in grave condition.
According to reports from the spot, the mini-bus, registration no. MN03-5286, a Canter plying between Imphal and Pukhao, was caught in the explosion of an improvised explosive device planted on the road, apparently with the objective of attacking security forces.
According to a few eyewitnesses, a military convoy was travelling on the same route at the time, and it is possible that the IED was intended to target the convoy.
The blast which went off directly underneath the bus was so powerful that the vehicle was hurled about 20 feet into a roadside paddy field.
Over a score of passengers sustained splinter wounds resulting from the explosion, some of them having their lower limbs ripped right off. Others were hurt due to the impact when the bus was hurled into the air and hit the ground hard after the explosion.
Reports said the canter, which was the last bus of the day, was heavily overcrowded, with some 15 to 20 passengers also riding on the roof.
Three of the passengers, two of them girls, died on the spot, one died at JN hospital, Porompat, and three others were declared brought dead at RIMS hospital casualty ward.
All of the wounded were evacuated to the JN hospital, whose emergency staff were quickly overwhelmed due to the number and severe nature of injuries, and several of them were referred to RIMS.
The JN hospital emergency ward was a scene of chaos when reporters arrived, with several wounded passengers being treated on the floor of the ward as there weren’t enough beds to accomodate them all.
One of the wounded, Laishram Devika, 13, of Sawombung Huidrom Leikai, died even as she was speaking to reporters.
Among the other dead, Senjam Inao Devi, 25, daughter of Godadhor, of Keibi Tiger Camp, Hijam Athoi Devi, 19, daughter of Borojaoba of Sekta Mayai Leikai, and Soibam Bobi, 31, of Keibi Heikak, died on the spot.
Three others, Senjam Surbala Devi, 22, of Keibi Tiger Camp, Oinam Bobby, 19 of Uyumpok Maning Leikai, and Khangenbam Ibochou, 43, of Keibi were declared brought dead at RIMS hospital.
The wounded admitted to JN hospital included Singdam Premananda, 25, of Keibi Awang Leikai, who had his left leg severed in the explosion, apart from other injuries, Wahengbam Bembem, 13, daughter of W Pakpa, of Heikak Mapal Keibi, who sustained injuries at both legs, Wahengbam Baibita Devi, 13, daughter of Kuber, of Keibi Heikak Mapal, Ahanthem Kala, 35, of Keibi Heikak Mapal, who sustained serious wounds at the left leg as well as burn injuries, Heikrujam Herojit, 35, of Heikrujam village, injured at both legs, Keisham Somorendr, 35, of Keibi Heikak Mapal, Takhelambam Kennedy, 23, of Keibi Kumuda, Ningombam Sanamcha, 20, of Huidrom Sawombung, Ngambram Somen, 21, of Keibi Kumuda, Sagolsem Rebitra, 16, of Sawombung Huidrom.
Those admitted at RIMS hospital include Micheal, 25, of Keibi, Sinam Nandakumar, 25, of Keibi Awang Leikai, Ng Herojit, 25, of Sekta Mamang Leikai, Sinam Surjit, 26 of Heikak Mayai Leikai, Heikrujam Herojit, of Uyumpok, Heikrujam Rasheshwori of Keibi, Th Abung of Keibi Awang Leikai, Maibam Amar of Uyumpok Mamang Leikai, Ningthoujam Shaymkumar of Andru and Ch Shyamkumar of Andro.
Injured sisters Wahengbam Bember and Wahengbam Babita, both students of Oreintal English School, were returning after attending a painting competition at Imphal Art College today. They told reporters that the canter had started from GM Hall, Imphal, at around 4:15 pm, towards Pukhao with a full load of passengers riding both inside and on top.
Near Pukhao, they said, they saw an Army vehicle moving ahead of them, and suddenly they heard a massive explosion and their bus went flying in the air and fell into a paddy field on the eastern side.
Other witnesses also said there were at least three Army vehicles moving in a convoy, and one of them had overtaken the canter when the explosion took place.
Senior minister Ph Parijat visited both RIMS and JN hospital this evening to inquire into the condition of the wounded. Speaking to mediapersons, he denounced the blast as an act of terrorism. He also said he would ask the government to tighten security in the rural areas, and on inter district roads to prevent such incidents in the future. He also assured to provide ex-gratia of Rs. 1 lakhs to the families of the deceased before the shradaha ceremony, and Rs 25 thousand to the badly injured victims and Rs 5 thousand for other injured immediately from the government side.
================================================
Rail fed POL depot to be set up in Manipur
By : A Staff Reporter 12/16/2007 12:49:27 AM
IMPHAL, Dec 15: A rail fed petroleum products storage centre having a storage capacity of at least 90 days consumption will be developed in Imphal soon, an official here said Saturday.
Manipur government’s proposal of setting up the rail fed POL depot centre at Malom, 6 km away from Imphal was inspected by the officials of the Indian Railways and Indian Oil Company, IOC. They will soon propose for the acquisition of 45 acres of land in the said site which is required for the construction of the storage, it added.
Mention may be made that Manipur government proposed for increasing the tankage capacity in the state to 60 days to the IOC and Union ministry of petroleum many times since two years back.
Following the state appraisal, IOC officials have visited Imphal and have seen the land on NH-39 and near the proposed railway line in Imphal valley, but there is no progress, the source maintained.
A meeting held in Imphal on November 30 last between Manipur chief secretary and IOC representatives discussed the location of new rail fed POL depot in and around Imphal.
In the meeting IOC representatives proposed the site at Malom and inspected the same after the meeting along with officials of the Indian Railways, the source added.
Manipur government has been proposing for increasing the tankage capacity of petroleum products citing that low storage capacity of MS and diesel can cause serious ethnic and law and order problems, as many times due to frequent bandhs and blockades, state has to resort to rationing of the MS and diesel.
Manipur consumes 72 KL of MS daily while the tankage capacity of the same in the state POL depot is 1085 KL which is only for 15 days, tankage capacity HSD is 2483 KL which is for 18 days on daily consumption level of 137 KL.
Tankage capacity of ATF is 600 KL for 50 days against daily consumption level of 12 KL. Daily consumption level of KSO is 76 KL and the tankage capacity is for 2528 KL which for 33 days.
The tankage capcity of LPG is 600 KL. This is sufficient for 15 days as the daily level of consumption is 40 KL.
http://www.ifp.co.in/
Picture Source: The Sangai Express
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