Official sources said the first explosion was reported frominterior Thoubal district at a fair ground, near the district headquarters, ataround 8 AM while arrangements were being made to celebrate the occasion.
Four persons, identified as Y Manao Singh (52), SanabantaDas (22), Akoijam Ongbi Sanajaobi Devi (55) and Ningombam Manisam Devi (65)were injured and taken to a nearby district hospital.
Their condition was stated to be critical, the sources said.
Three powerful bombs exploded in the capital complex herewhile Chief Minister O. Ibobi Singh was giving his speech at the 1st ManipurRifles parade ground where the main celebrations were taking place.
The ground is situated only about two kms away from the siteof the bomb explosions.
The Chief Minister was appealing to insurgents to give uparms and join the national mainstream by participating in the developmentprocess.
Sources said a powerful bomb, allegedly planted by theinsurgents at the side of busy road at Sagolband in the capital complex, wasapparently set off by using a remote-controlled device at around 9 AM, damagingthe wall of a nearby house.
They said the bomb might have been planted to attacksecurity personnel who used the road often to go to CRPF headquarters atLangjing, about 6 KM west of here.
Ten minutes later, another powerful bomb exploded at a placeon Minuthong bridge on Imphal river in the capital complex, sources said,adding the place is about KM from the 1st Manipur Rifles parade ground.
Official reports from Thoubal district said minutes afterthe bomb explosion at Mela ground, police and para-military forces, includingAssam Rifles personnel, surrounded nearby suspected areas and rounded upseveral persons.
All the detained were later freed after proper verification,the reports said. Passers-by at isolated places were also checked to detectmovement of ultras who sneaked into nearby interior areas after the explosion,reports said.
The third explosion occurred in the Mahabali Temple complex,about one and a half KMs from the parade ground of 1st Manipur Rifles, ataround 9.45 AM, the sources said.
A major portion of the fencing wall of the temple wasdestroyed in the explosion.
No one was injured in the three explosions.
The police and security forces stepped up patrolling afterthe explosions at the capital complex and blocked all exit points to preventescape of suspected insurgents who exploded the bombs.
Several areas were searched, but no arrest was made, thesources said. All police and security posts were given a red-alert signal tointensify security measures and patrol within their jurisdictions.
Official reports said Independence Day was celebrated amidtight security deployment at all district headquarters peacefully.
Ibobi Singh in his speech further said there was no room forviolence in a democratic country like India and asked the insurgents to sit fordialogue and discussion.
Major insurgent organisations, including United NationalLiberation Front, Revolutionary People's Front, People's Revolutionary Party ofKangleipak, and Kanglei Yawol Kann Lup had earlier called for boycott of IndpendenceDay celebrations, saying Manipur was "forcibly merged" with the Unionin 1949.
