Month: January 2015

IMPHAL, January 2: Suspected underground activists attacked 24 AR personnel exploding two Improvised Explosive Devices, IED consecutively along the inter-village road at Kwatha Khunou under Moreh Police Station, Chandel District on December 31 at around 4.30 pm.

According to sources, the bomb attacks were staged on a patrol party of the 24 AR posted at Kwatha Khunou. There were however no casualties.

Later, a team of Moreh police team inspected the blast site and a case has been registered.

Although, no UG groups have claimed responsibility yet, according to sources, the bomb attacks is likely to have been the handiwork of PLA.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/01/two-ied-blasts-target-ar-troops-at-chandel/

IMPHAL, January 2: The tourism potential of Andro village will be explored and developed to make it the most attractive tourist spot in the state within 2015. Many new and state of art tourist attractions will be installed at the popular tourist spots and parks in and around the village, assured Thounaojam Shyamkumar MLA Andro.

Shyamkumar was speaking at a simple celebration of his own 48th birthday cum 2015 New Year celebration at Panam Ningthou Garden. The Santhei Natural Park, Palam Nignthou Garden and Palam Ningthou Sanglem have now become well known tourist spots in Andro, he said.

Shyamkumar even hinted at introducing cable car facilities at these spots.

He called upon the Andro people to be honest and extend good hospitality to foreign and domestic tourists visiting Andro.

He also called upon the youth to leave the path of drugs and instead concentrate on their studies. It is the time to leave those abuses and concentrate on career, he said.

He further said road connectivity of Andro Assembly has already begun to be developed befitting of a tourist spots.

He assured that the road in the western side will be completed before ritual Lai Haraoba festival as per schedule. The road will connect Nungyungbi area to Tumukhong Mairangpural via Andro Army will construct before festival and the road from Maringthel till Andro Maning Khul end part will be conducted black topping before the festival of Lai Haraoba.

A new road from which can link direct Andro Army to Moirangpurel will complete earth levelling within the month of April 2015. If the road is completed this will be the shortest route, shorter than the Andro Army to Moirangpurel through Ngairiyan road.

The MLA also expressed warm wishes of 2015 New Year that may bring prosperity and development in educational sector.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/01/andro-will-be-made-most-attractive-tourist-spot-within-2015-shyamkumar/

By Shyam Waikhom
IMPHAL, January 2: The only road connecting Senapati and Ukhrul Districts has not been repaired since the last 15 years and it has been in a deplorable condition. People of Paomata circle, Sanaramai circle and many and other villages existing along this route are still waiting for repairing of the road.

The road from Tadubi area of National Highway-2 on the eastern part of the Senapati District can reach Ukhrul District after passing various villages like Tungjoy, Liyai, Phuba, Maiba, Purul circle and villages like Saranamai, Khaikho Paomata etc. This road has served as a vital link between the two districts.

This IFP reporter witnessed the terrible condition of the said road during a trip last month, passing through a number of villages up to Saranamai Village. The roads along this stretch are mostly covered with dust with a few stones lying sparsely.

It may be mentioned that the important connecting route between the two districts has been left neglected for a long period of time. Because of the condition of the road, there is hardly any passenger vehicle seen plying on the road. Either people use private vehicles or they have to walk if they want to reach another village.

Villagers have to rely on whatever is grown in their villages as there is no commercial activity taking place because of the bad road condition. The condition of the road is worse during rainy seasons as it is mostly filled with mud and water, said one villager of Saranamei.

Interacting with the IFP, Village Chairman of Khaikho Village of Saranamai circle, V Kho said that they have seen three MLAs winning from Mao A/C but none of them have taken any initiative in repairing of the road.

The sitting MLA, Dekho had provided hope of repairing road under PMGSY scheme (2007-2012), but till today it has still been a dream, he added.

He said rainy seasons have been the most trying time for the villagers. We have to walk 15-16 Km to reach Tadubi Bazar as no vehicles can run on this road. When people fall sick, we have to carry them on make shift stretchers, he said.

He continued that children`™s education have been badly affected because of almost non-existent transport facility. It seems that the government is not all interested in developing the road, he said. He added that 15 years is a too long time to wait.

The locals of Saranamai area, Paomata circle, Tungjoy, Liwa and Phuba have submitted several memorandums to the Mao MLA but no necessary action has been taken up till today, he lamented.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/01/vital-road-link-between-senapati-and-ukhrul-districts-languish-for-15-years/

IMPHAL, January 2: Over 100 representatives of more than 40 civil voluntary organisations denouncing the State government`™s apathy and insensitivity in the case of the recovery of skulls and bones from the premises of Tombisana School, staged a sit-in protest at Keishampat Lairenbi Community Hall on January 1.

According to a statement, the protest which was taken out from 8 am to 1 pm carried several slogans on placards and banners which read `read our stories from our bones`™ `repeal AFSPA`™, `stop destruction of evidences`™, `declare Tombisana School as crime site`™, `scan all military installations for human remains`™ and `stop militarisation of schools`™ etc.

The protest was taken out under the banner of Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights in Manipur and United Nations, CSCHR, it added.

At the end of the protest, the gathering jointly resolved to call for immediate halt to further digging of the Tombisana School site, immediate constitution of a high level commission of inquiry, headed by a retired Judge, consisting of competent experts in various related fields and to systematically excavate the premise to collect further evidences, the statement said.

Further the release said that resolutions include demand for systematic examination of the skulls and bones, verification with DNA profiling of families, initiation of criminal proceedings if any foul play is found and preserving of the skulls and bones in joint custody with FIDAM and the investigating agency as mark of recognition of `cultural deprivation`™ and continuing trauma of the families.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/01/civil-organisation-bodies-outraged-by-skeleton-recovery-stage-protest/

IMPHAL, January 2: The underground Peoples`™ Liberation Army, PLA, in a press statement today declared its ongoing operation `Operation Jackal` against the `Indian occupation force` have caused unprecedented casualties to the Indian army, but to save its prestige, they have been concealing the figures.

The statement said on December 23 at 11.30 am, the PLA set up a bomb booby trap for a party of 16 Assam Rifles who had come out along the Mahadev to Litan stretch of the Ukhrul road to intimidate Christmas parties. They were coming out on foot and waiting in the sun for their colleagues who were returning with their meals in a vehicle. In the bomb trap, one personnel was killed, the statement claimed.

Again on December 24, at 10:45 am, at a Nonggren and Nongpok Kakching in Imphal East under the Lamlai police station the PLA set up another bomb trap for a party of the 49 BSF D-Coy. It claimed that personnel of the unit together with those of the 40 AR were harassing innocent passers by.

On December 31, a little past 4pm the PLA again made a bomb trap attack on a 24 AR party at Kotha Khul in the Chandel district. It claimed that the bomb attack killed two personnel and some more were injured. The AR party were climbing up the hillside with back packs, it said. Two in the front of the patrol were killed on the spot and more who followed behind them were also injured, it added. The attacked party was left clueless and petrified, it further said.

The statement said the PLA will continue to wage war against the `occupation force` but also added it has been refraining from attacking local forces, such as the Manipur Police, Manipur Rifles, IRB etc. The statement also called upon the people to support its effort to gain freedom for Manipur.

Listing its assaults on the army, the statement said, it attacked the 21 AR on January 26, 2014 at Sajik Tampak; the 44 AR at Kamjong, Ukhrul on February 8; the 24 AR at Kambang Khullen at Chandel on March 11; the 1/11 Gurkha Rifles at Zou Khunom and Taikotang at Churachandpur on April 4; the 25 Madras Regiment, B-Coy at Taikotang, Singhat on May 14; then again on the 44 AR at Kangpat Khullen, Kamjong; it also made another attack on 26AR at Behiang on December 21, the statement said.

These attacks were conducted under different operations codenamed as `Operation Leopard`, `Operation Blue Eagle` etc, the statement further said.

The PLA statement also thanked all citizens who extended assistances in these operations.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/01/pla-claims-responsibility-for-many-bomb-attacks-on-security-forces-during-2014/

IMPHAL, January 2: Amidst the hue and cry against the rising crime committed against women and children in the State, a non-local was today caught trying to traffic three minors in Tamenglong District.

According to a police source, the non-local has been identified as one Ozish, 45 from Maharashtra. It said the incident took place at around 8 in the morning at Kambiron under Nunba Police Station of Tamenglong District.

It continued that the minors are from Nungba area, two boys and one girl, all of them between 5-7 years. They were found travelling with Ozish on a Maruti Alto car with registration No. MNH-12-BP-5992 when 87 BN of CRPF personnel were conducting routine check on vehicles at Kambiron post.

Further it said the CRPF on suspicion started questioning the said non-local thereafter the minors revealed that they were kidnapped by him. Afterwards, the CRPF personnel took the minors and the non-local inside their camp for further questioning, the source added.

The source continued that on hearing the news of minors being caught with a non-local, parents of the said minors along with a large number of villagers stormed the CRPF Camp. They demanded that the children along with the alleged kidnapper be handed over to them, the source added.

The CRPF personnel had a hard time controlling the furious villagers who were adamant their demands be met, the source continued.

Police enforcement had to be called in from Tamenglong District headquarters, the source said.

Additional SP and SP of Tamenglong rushed to the spot to control the situation and the children were handed over to their parents, the source further said.

However, the Alto car in which the minors were taken was set on fire by the enraged villagers angry that the kidnapper was not handed over to them, the source added.

No further detail could be culled regarding any possibility of involvement of more people in the alleged kidnapping of the minors at the time of filing this report.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/01/crpf-rescues-three-minors-from-alleged-kidnapper-at-nungba/

IMPHAL, January 2: As per earlier announced by the Awang Sekmai Nongthonband Youth Club on December 16, failure of the government to begin road construction to the Nongthonbam to Sekmai Gas Bottling Plant by the deadline of December 31 has prompted the organisation to launch an indefinite road block.

Speaking to IFP, spokesperson ASNYC stated that the indefinite road block step started yesterday.

He further said that the road block will continue till the concerned authorities initiate the road construction work.

On the first day of the agitation, club members blocked 38 bullet tankers coming from Dimapur along with NH-32, while trying to enter the Gas Bottling Plant complex, he added.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/01/road-block-at-sekmai-for-delaying-construction/

IMPHAL, January 2: Celebrating the remarkable 33rd years of publication of evening daily newspaper `Kangleipakki Meira`™ three outstanding journalists were felicitated today as part of celebration at Manipur Press Club, Imphal.

The three awardees were Thongam Premchand Singh (Poknapham) as best male journalist from print media, Asem Bebicha Chanu (Huiyen Lampao) from print media and Yumnam Michealjit Singh (ISTV) from electronic media.

In the name of Kangleipakki Meira Family former staff and it`™s hawkers were also felicitated during the function. Among its hawkers one identified as Chirom Biren Singh who is 73 years of age and still continuing his work delivering newspaper at Kakhulong, nupi keithel, alu gali, Assembly road and khuyathong area carrying 250 copies of Kangleipakki Meira. He was today presented with a bicycle as an honour for his duty.

Chairman Manipur Pollution control Board and former Vice Chancellor of Manipur University Dr Ng Bijoy Singh as Chief Guest of the celebration function said that it is fortunate that the foundation day coincide with the auspicious day of Emoinu today.

He said that reading newspaper in the morning is like addiction and a day without browsing newspaper in the morning finds incomplete for the day. He asserted that Manipur print media has improved in its get up and quite improved in rendering information through print media. He said during his tour abroad he expressed that the newspaper from Japan is quite impressive.

He elaborated that media has contributed and played a major role in inclusion of Manipuri language in 8th schedule.

He said that Manipur has one of the largest numbers of different print media comparatively.

Manipur has shined in almost every angle, name it sports or art and culture but the state is lacking behind its economy he claimed.

Society without media is like Well Without Water saying this Dr Ng Bijoy Singh concluded that media would support in contribution to the development of society and to the state.

The 33rd foundation day celebration was also attended by Director Information and Public Relation W Rajen Singh (MCS), Addl. Chief Engineer, CADA K Manoranjan Singh as president and Guest of Honour, staffs of Kangleipakki Meira and veteran and renowned journalists of the state.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/01/scribes-hawkers-awarded-on-meira-foundation-day/