Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi on Monday escaped unhurt after shots were fired at him by suspected militants at Ukhrul helipad. He was also blocked by a large crowd from coming to the inauguration site in Ukhrul and Chingai districts.
A jawan of the Manipur Rifles was injured in the firing which took place when the Chief Minister stepped out of the helicopter and was being greeted by government officials, the officials said.
The CM’s helicopter immediately took off and left for Chingai but could not land at the remote village due to protests.
The Chief Minister was forced to cancel his programmes and had to fly back to the state capital where he called an emergency cabinet meeting.
The CM had several programmes lined up at Hunphung village and at Chingai village in Ukhrul district. Ibobi was to travel to Hunphung to inaugurate the 100 bedded Ukhrul district hospital besides a power sub-station.
Civil Society organisations had called a curfew and put up a road blockade along the three km route to Hunphung from the helipad, the sources said, adding that two vehicles had also been set ablaze by the protesters.
Earlier, a jawan of the Indian Reserve Battalion sustained splinter injuries in a bomb attack by suspected
militants on the newly constructed hospital in the wee hours on Monday before its scheduled inauguration, police said.
Two bombs were fired at the hospital either from a lethod gun or rocket launcher, the official said.
At remote Chingai village, Singh was scheduled to inaugurate a power sub-station, a BDO office and a bank building.
