Imphal: A 41-year-old woman lost her left leg after a suspected landmine exploded while she was grazing cattle at Bazaghari village in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on Tuesday, raising concerns over the presence of unexploded explosives in local agricultural fields and grazing grounds.
The victim, identified as Durga Devi Bhattarai, reportedly stepped on a concealed explosive device between 10 am and 11.45 am at the village under Irang Part-II. She sustained critical injuries and was initially taken to Kangpokpi Christian Hospital before being referred to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal, where doctors amputated her left leg.
Her husband, Jeevan Bhattarai, who is also the Bazaghari village secretary, said the explosion occurred while she was tending to their livestock in the surrounding fields.
According to local residents, Tuesday’s blast was the third explosion reported in the locality within five days. A cow belonging to resident Amar Bahadur Basnet was killed in a similar explosion on Monday, while another blast, believed to have been triggered by a wild animal, was reported four days earlier.
Fearing further casualties, villagers have stopped visiting agricultural fields and grazing grounds. Residents have urged the authorities to register a case, investigate the origin of the explosives and immediately deploy a Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) to sanitise the area.
Social worker Soshim Gurung visited the victim at RIMS and expressed concern over the incident.
The Manipur Gorkha Welfare Union (MGWU) condemned the blast and pledged support to the victim’s family in seeking justice.
The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), Sadar Hills, also denounced the alleged planting of landmines in the Twilang region and urged the Centre and the state government to conduct an immediate sanitisation drive.