Imphal, March 13 (IANS): Thokchom Satyabrata, a BJP leader in Manipur, had a narrow escape on Saturday night in a bomb blast at his home in the state capital, police said on Sunday.

Police said they were investigating the blast that occurred at the leader's home in Bhagybati Leikai in Imphal West district.

Satyabrata had contested the assembly election in 2012 but lost.

In another incident, a hand-grenade was lobbed at a petrol pump in Hatta in the same district in which an employee was injured by shrapnel.

Police also said unidentified miscreants set ablaze the office of the zonal education officer at Jiribam in Imphal East district at 11.30 p.m. on Saturday.

Residents and fire-fighters managed to douse the raging flames before much damage was done.

A large number of women on Sunday staged sit-in protests condemning the bomb blasts in crowded places.

A woman protester said it was "senseless" on the part of the assailants to explode bombs in residential areas and marketplaces since many innocent people could have been killed and wounded.

Recently, the public health sub-centre and veterinary office in Mekola near Imphal had received extortion threats. Womenfolk of the region have been protesting against the threats.

Police said an outlawed organisation demanded a huge amount from the heads of the two offices. However, nobody has been arrested so far.