Wife of former Saikul MLA Yamthong Haokip, Charubala Haokip, died in an explosion at their house in the Kangpokpi district of Manipur, according to police reports on Sunday.
Charubala, 59, who belonged to the Meitei community, lived in the Kuki-Zomi-majority village of Ekou Mulam in the Kangpokpi district. Her husband, Yamthong Haokip, 64, who won the Saikul Assembly seat in 2012 and 2017 on Congress tickets, had aligned with the BJP prior to the 2022 elections.
The incident though took place around 3 pm on Saturday, it was reported to the police only early Sunday morning.
A Kangpokpi district police officer shared that a homemade improvised explosive device (IED) was found hidden within some waste materials at their residence. When Charubala attempted to dispose of the waste by burning it, the device detonated, causing her death. No other individuals were harmed in the incident.
As of Sunday morning, no arrests had been made. Authorities are currently investigating the matter, with initial suspicions pointing to a possible family-related dispute.
The police officer mentioned that the former MLA had recently bought land next to his uncle’s grandson, which had sparked some tension. This dispute is believed to be linked to the tragic explosion.