An explosion near an Indian paramilitary headquarters in the northeastern state of Manipur near its border with Myanmar killed two security personnel, a spokesperson said on Wednesday.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack near the Border Security Force base in the state capital of Imphal. But dozens of tribal, nationalist and small rebel groups operate in the remote region near the Myanmar border.
At least two civilians were injured in the explosion.
About a dozen paramilitaries were taking part in an operation to check roads outside the base when the improvised explosive device went off, a force spokesperson told AFP.
“Two of our soldiers were killed in the IED blast. The area has been cordoned off and investigations are on,” the spokesperson added.
An unnamed senior official said the explosion occurred at around 2 pm, when BSF personnel were deployed outside the gate of the Koirengi sector headquarters camp, PTI reported.
“The blast took place inside a shop that is located near the camp. The two killed constables – Sanjay Tirkey and N N Meetei – were on a road protection task,” the official said, adding that the shop’s owner was also injured.
Two paramilitaries were injured on Tuesday after militants on motorcycles threw grenades at another base in the city.
India’s northeast region is home to dozens of outlawed groups whose demands range from greater autonomy to secession.
The United Liberation Front of Western South East Asia is based in Myanmar and its militants are active in most of India’s seven northeastern states. It was blamed for a 2015 attack on an army convoy in Manipur that killed 20 soldiers, prompting India to carry out strikes against the rebels inside Myanmar.
Northeast India, linked to the rest of the country by a narrow land corridor, has seen more than six decades of ethnic and separatist unrest in which more than 50,000 people have been killed.
However, many groups have struck deals with Indian authorities in recent years.
With reporting from AFP