Day: November 20, 2015

IMPHAL, November 20: Chief Secretary O Nabakishore who is also the State Chief Electoral Officer said 12 company of the Central Para Military Forces have already arrived and a section each of the CPMF will be deployed in every polling stations to ensure free and fair bye-election in 5-Thongju and 9-Thangmeiband constituencies.

The Chief Secretary addressing a press conference at his office chamber today said poll hours for the November 21 bye-election to 5-Thongju and 9-Thangmeiband Assembly Constituencies will be from 7am to 4pm.

He said all electors who have been issued EPIC shall produce the EPIC for their identification at the polling stations before casting their votes.

Those electors who are not able to produce the EPIC shall produce any one of the alternative photo identity documents for establishing their identity.

He said three election observers are also appointed in every polling station.

Meanwhile, in connection with the Sangai Festival which will also begin from November 21, the Chief Secretary said the Bhutan Ambassador is arriving tomorrow and about 35 officials and delegates from Myanmar are also coming for this festival.

Security arrangements in and around the festival venues have been beefed up, he added.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/11/one-cpmf-section-deployed-in-each-polling-station-to-ensure-free-and-fair-polling-manipur-chief-secreatary/

IMPHAL, November 20: The BJP Manipur has submitted a memorandum to the Union Home Minister, Election Commission of India and the government of Manipur to provide adequate security force for smooth, free and fair polling during November 21 bye-election, said BJP Manipur president Th Chaoba reacting to the firing incident at Thongju Constituency which left a 2-year old injured.

Lamenting the incident, Manipur BJP in charge Prahlad Singh Patel had also said that the Chief Minister should tender apology to the people of the State for encouraging the gun culture.

Meanwhile, in ahurriedly called press conference this evening, Congress candidate Bijoy Koijam also condemned the incident and said he has urged the Home department to investigate in the incident and added that the charges of the rival party are all baseless.

BJP Manipur president Chaoba accompanied by Prahlad Singh Patel among others later visited Shija Hospital where the injured infant is lodged.

Meanwhile, speaking to media persons before the visit, Choaba said the firing incident is an attempt to murder the father of the infant who is a BJP worker.

Following the attempt, the BJP suspect if tomorrow`™s election will be free and fair, though election observers have directed that no outsiders will be allowed to enter the two constituencies during the polling, he said.

He said heavy security cover of para-military forces has also been deployed for the free and fair conduct of the election.

Amidst all these, the firing incident is really unfortunate, he said.

It is the murder of democracy and a clear indication of the failure of law and order under the Congress government, Chaoba claimed.

Meanwhile, during the visit to the hospital, Prahlad Patel said the gun culture witnessed in the State is criminalisation of politics.

He said he will request the ECI to strictly check if para military forces are placed within 100 meters range of all polling stations during the polls tomorrow.

He further demanded the local administration to take the incident seriously.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/11/bjp-refers-to-incident-as-murder-of-democracy/

IMPHAL, November 20: A 2-year-old boy was hit by a bullet, when miscreants fired gun-shot at the residence of a BJP worker in Thounju Part-II, on the eve of Thongju bye-poll.

The infant has been identified as one Chirom Lanchenba (two years and six months old), son of Chirom Saratbabu (44) of Thongju Part-II Feija Leitong Maibee Lampak.

Lanchenba received a bullet on his back however is said to be recovering slowly in ICU of Shija Hospital.

According to the victim`™s father Ch Saratbabu, the incident occurred just 10 minutes past midnight November 19.

He said he heard a gunshot very close to his residence adding that alarmed by the sound he held his son, who was sleeping with him, close to him.

Saratbabu further revealed that seconds after the first shot was fired he heard few more shots this time further away from his residence.

The family only came to realise that his son was hit by a bullet following his loud cry, he said.

Moreover, he continued that his son`™s breathing was not right while his whole body was getting colder by the mintues.

When he tried to pick his son, he noticed blood on his shirt and found a bullet hole on his back, said Saratbabu.

The boy was immediately rushed to RIMS where he (victim) was later shifted to Shija Hospital. An operation was reportedly conducted on the boy and removed the projectile.

The bullet hit the minor boy after it pierce through the wall (tin) and wooden bed border.

Speaking to media persons, Saratbabu said that he has no enmity with anyone. However, he assumed that the attack could be related with the current bye election.

He disclosed that he earlier was an active worker of the Congress candidate of his constituency but recently joined BJP to support, Thongam Bishwajit.

Implying the attack was carried out by rival party, he termed the attack was a narrow minded politics influenced by uncivilised individual.

Saratbabu urged the perpetrator not to repeat such inhumane incident in the future and further challenged the perpetrator to openly confront him in person if they have any complaints rather than attacking him like a coward.

Meanwhile, the Thongju Feija local women staged a sit in demonstration denouncing the attack at the local ground.

The protester has demanded the authority concerned to book the culprit involved in the attack at the earliest.

Terming the act a heinous and cowardly act, the protestors speculated that the perpetrators could be some from the locality who is known to Saratbabu.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/11/infant-injured-in-firing-incident-at-thongju-father-calls-attack-politically-motivated/