Imphal, Dec. 1: Police today recovered a powerful IED from the campus of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) at Lamphel of Imphal West with the possible target being the institute’s director Y. Mohen Singh who usually takes his morning walk along the path.

However, Singh is currently in Banglaore attending a programme of the National Cancer Registry.

The IED, weighing around 1.5kg and stuffed inside an empty Amul Milk Powder can, was first detected on a thoroughfare on the western side of the campus at 6 this morning by some employees.

The thoroughfare connects the administrative block, which accommodates the office of the institute’s director L. Fimate and the nurses’ hostel. The IED was exploded in a deserted area of Lamphel later by bomb experts.

“Yes, the bomb was found on the path which I take for my morning walk with my security escorts. My apprehension is that I was the target,” Singh said over phone from Bangalore. “I suspect I was targeted for my strong stance against entry of agents of medicine stores located around RIMS into the wards of the institute. A few days ago I learnt that I would be targeted,” he said.

Earlier, agents of medicine stores used to come and deliver medicines after taking prescriptions from patients. The superintendent stopped this practice about a month back.