Manipur: High alert on Indo-Myanmar border town after recovery of possible Uranium explosive

Security was put on high alert after recovery of a mystery package containing a possible uranium explosive at a residential town in Manipur along the Indo-Myanmar border on Monday. The incident comes in the wake of heightened security measures taken up by the Assam Rifles along the border in view of the impending counting of votes for the Lok Sabha election.

The package, wrapped in black plastic, was found outside a house in Moreh Town’s Ward No 7 at around 8:30 am. The resident of the house alerted the police and they took away the package to an open ground away from the residential area. The police found it was a metal package carrying a tag of Uranium Cooperation of India Limited and also the inscriptions “Explosive No. 337/99% Proven 425. Volt 2014”, “Govt. use only not for sale powder 99 percent refined”, of Department of Atomic Mineral (AMD), Director of Atomic Explosion Research Centre North East Region Shillong, Government of India.

Bomb experts from Assam Rifles, police and technical teams of other security agencies were called in for examining the package. However, seeing the inscriptions on the package indicating possible Uranium content, the object was cordoned off by the security forces.

A source from the Assam Rifles said, “The object was left alone for we are not so sure what is inside the package. Let the expert team come and check.”

The district authority has sought help from Manipur University Chemistry department and other science experts from premier institution of the state.

Vikramjit, Superintendent of Police, Tengnoupal, said, “There is nothing to worry. I don’t think it is an explosive device. But we have called in the experts”.

The Assam Rifles last Monday sealed the unauthorised gates along the border besides checking credentials of visitors at the two authorized gates.