GUWAHATI: With a string of incidents of violence taking place in poll-bound
Manipur, Assam chief minister and NEDA convenor
Himanta Biswa Sarma demanded the election commission (EC) and police to provide adequate security to candidates and political workers in the state to ensure free and fair election.
Ahead of two-phase polls, to be held on February 27 and on March 3, unidentified miscreants triggered explosions in front of houses of likely Congress candidates in
Imphal on Wednesday.
There are no reports of any casualty or injury. On Sunday night unknown persons gunned down two persons, including a BJP worker and a police personnel, near their residences in Imphal West.
On January 6, suspected militants exploded a powerful bomb in front of the house of Uppa Adhyaksha in Imphal West district, in which a 40-year-old woman was injured. On the previous day, militants triggered a powerful IED explosion at Thoubal, in which an Assam Rifles jawan was killed and another person was injured.
“Since the killings of Assam Rifles officer, his family and jawans and the subsequent targeted killings in Manipur, it is clear that we need to be more vigilant. There will be a big challenge for security forces to conduct free and fair election,” Sarma said.
“I think EC and police will have to provide adequate security to political people, including candidates and party workers, on eve of the election,” he added.