A bomb blast at Alu Galli, Thangal bazar this evening left atleast 21 people injured including several women and children. Condition of some of the victims is said to be critical. Soon after the blast the police went for a combing operation by cordoning off the area. A suspected underground activist was killed at Kalibari, Thangal bazaar during the operation.
Police could not immediately ascertain which organization was responsible for the attack. None of
the UG groups have so far claimed responsibility for the blast. Rumors are heard about that the attack was targeted towards a particular shop which did not meet the demand of the groups about ransom.
According to eyewitnesses report, a hand grenade was hurled towards a readymade garments shop located at Alu Galli this evening at around 4 pm. In the following moments, all the shops and other establishments nearby pulled down their shutters and in no time Alu Galli was completely deserted till the police and the CRPF camping at the Tombisana High School located opposite the Assembly secretariat rushed to the spot. A pit measuring around one foot diameter and around one foot dip was made by the bomb.

Most of the injured were shoppers and vendors sitting in front of the shops along the stretch of Alu Galli. A mother and her 18 year old son were also among the victims of the bomb blast.

Some of the injured were immediately evacuated to the Chamber of Commerce hospital. Many with minor injuries were allowed to leave after being administered first aid

Fifteen of the injured were admitted at the RIMS, Lamphel and three at JN hospital, Porompat. Out of the 15 hospitalised at RIMS, the condition of two women identified as Babi Jasmin, 28, wife of Ayurkhan and Rabiya Begum, 25, daughter of Md. Fazurahman of Kshetri Bengun were stated to be serious. They were respectively referred to Shija hospital and JN hospital from RIMS.

In response to the developing law and order situation security measures have been tightened by the district police. Security personnel kept a cordon around Thangal bazar area and movement of anti-social elements in all the bylanes and other outlets from the market were kept under strict vigil. Frisking and checking of suspected persons was conducted by the police as well as by central security forces.

High ranking police officials of the state police as well as central security forces rushed to the spot and inspected the spot where the bomb blast took place. Search operations were conducted in the areas near Thangal bazar to detect any IED that could have been planted by the underground elements.

While conducting search operation in the Kalibari area three youths were found moving in suspicion manner and were challenged by the police. The youth hurled a grenade towards the police which failed to explode.

The police opened fire towards the three youths killing one of them at a spot near the Kali Temple,
Kalibari. He was pumped with several bullets. The other two managed to escape towards Major Khul and could not be traced.