Day: October 25, 2017

IMPHAL | Oct 25

A team of Imphal West district police commandos arrested an alleged sympathizer of RPF/PLA organisation while conducting and frisking at Chingmeirong and its adjoining areas yesterday at around 5.30 pm, said a statement issued by PRO, Manipur police department.

According to the statement, the individual has been identified as Gurumayum Dhanaraj Sharma (47) son of (L) Daoji Sharma of Khurai Soibam Leikai a/p M.B.  Car workshop, Khabam Leikai and incriminating articles were seized from his possession.

On the same day at around 2 pm, a team of Narcotics and Affairs of Border have arrested two drug peddlers from Irom Wangkhei Ninghtem Pukhri areas along with 69 Spasmo Proxyvon capsules identified as Phurailakpam Tichan Sharma (32) son of Ph. Yaima Sharma of Kwai Bharmapur Aribam Leikai and Heirkrujam Jyko Sharma (32) son of H. Dilip Singh of Tharoijam Mamang Leikai, said the statement.

While on October 23, Bank of Maharastra informed Cyber Crime police station, Manipur telephonically that two drafts of Rs. 3000 has been made from their bank by aspirant candidates for job under the Gramin Samridhi Yojana, payable at Kolkata which was advertised at the website: www.gsy.org.in and as well as on Poknapham newspaper on July 31, it added.

Further it said that on October 24, some candidates who also applied for the job under the scheme also reported to Cyber Crime Police station regarding the website of Gramin Samridhi Yojana and added that 4200 candidates belonging to the state of Manipur, Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh were informed to be on Merit list and were asked to send bank draft of Rs. 2000 to Rs. 3000 to an address given in the said website as security deposit for verification of certificate.

It said that the website was checked and found to be fraud and hence an enquiry in this regard was conducted by SP (CB) and found the website not an authorised government website, Moreover, director of RD and PR, Manipur also intimated that there is no such scheme called Gramin Samridhi Yojana under the ministry of Rural Development, government of India or any ministry or department.

IMPHAL | Oct 25 (NNN)

All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) alleged that Manipur police attempted to raid its office located at Adimjati Complex, Chingmeirong in Imphal on the charge of kidnapping a student. ATSUM said that the incident happened around 1:30 pm today. The apex tribal students’ body then strongly condemned the “attempted raid” by the police.

“This kind of intimidation and aggressive act are unwarranted and uncalled for,” said ATSUM in a statement. It also said that, as an apex tribal students’ organisation, the “ATSUM office is a home to every tribal especially the students”. ATSUM also said that it “has every right” to invite any tribal student for discussion on any student’s or tribal issue.

The ATSUM statement then said, “At the backdrop of government colleges/higher secondary schools election related violence occurring annually in the heart of the state capital, ATSUM has been working on to minimize such incident by calling on the tribal students of government colleges/higher secondary schools particularly the candidates at its office and ask to refrain from such ugly incidence”. It then added, “In the course of sensitizing the students, the state police under the persuade of some students’ organization attempted to raid the ATSUM office on the alleged charge of kidnapping a student at around 1.30 pm”.

The All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur then demanded the concerned authority to resolve the charge of kidnapping of a student at the earliest by booking the culprits who made “the false allegation” on ATSUM and also for “misleading” the police.

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Oct 25

The Manipur State Film Development Society, MSFDS, today declared the winners of 9th and 10th Manipur State Film Awards at its office at Palace Compound. The 9th edition was for the year 2013-2014 and the 10th was for 2015-16.

Commissioner of art and culture department and chairman of the organising committee of the state film awards, M. Lakshmikumar released and declared the results during a press conference.

The Best film critic award of the 9th and 10th edition of the state film award was awarded to Herojit Nongmaithem and Bobby Wahengbam respectively.

In the category of feature film, best film award was conferred to Nangna Kappa Pakchade for 9th edition which is directed by Makhonmani Mongsaba and produced by Th. Thouyangba Meetei and Th. Thoungamba Meetei. For the 10th edition, Loktak Lairembi won the award, produced and directed by Haobam Paban Kumar.

In the non-feature category, Phum Sang directed by Haobam Paban Kumar and produced by Films Division got the best non-feature film for 9th edition. Ima Sabitri, directed by Bobo Khuraijam and produced by Gurumayum Ranita got the best non-feature film for 10th Manipur State Film award.

Best actor for feature film category for 2013-2014 goes to R.K. Kaiku Singh for the role of Oja Chinglensana for the Nongmatang and for 2015-16, Th. Khelemba Meetei got the best actor award for his role as Leirik for the movie Khujinda Yotpi.

In best direction, Makhonmani Mongsaba won the award for his film Nangna Kappa Packchade for 9th edition and Maipaksana Haorongbam for Eibusu Yaohanbiyu for 10th edition.

Lakshmikumar said that the award function will be held soon on or before the Sangai festival of November 21. The chairman also announced that state film society will take part in the 48th International Film Festival at Goa for regional movies category.

He said this will be the first time for the state to take part in such international level of cinema and hope that better things will come for the state film fraternity.

IMPHAL | Oct 25

The state Transport department has allegedly issued fake registration and other relevant documents to vehicles which have been procured clandestinely from outside the state. 

In a public interest litigation suit filed by Prasanta Oinam, Manipur High Court has issued show cause notices to the state transport department. The PIL alleges that cars stolen from other parts of the country are being sold with new registration numbers in Manipur, and the state transport department is registering them without proper verification.

The petition cites information obtained throught Right To Information (RTI) applications filed to the transport department claim that large-scale registration of illegally procured vehicles is taking place in the state.

A white Hyundai car registered in Imphal on October 25, 2016, has the same chassis number and engine number as a vehicle reported stolen from New Delhi on December 8, 2016, first information report (FIR) filed with the Delhi Police shows.

The petition claims that stolen cars are backdated when registered in Manipur. In one  example, a Hyundai Creta registered at District Transport Office, Imphal West, has the date of purchase in August 2014 even though the vehicle was launched in India in July 2015.

Information provided by the transport department shows one Toyota Fortuner was transferred from Lucknow to Imphal. But the car was registered in Imphal on March 13, 2014, even earlier than its registeration in Lucknow on March 24, 2014.

Another Toyota Fortuner transferred from Assam as per records of the transport department has its chassis number changed. Vahan, a website under Ministry of Raod Transport and Highways, still shows that the vehicle is active in Assam.

The petition accuses the District Transport Officers of aiding and abetting car theft gangs by registering vehicles which are either stolen or bought without authorisation. The petitioner had also requested for copies of documents required for vehicular registration under Motor Vehicle Act, 1988. However, RK Jayantakumar Singh, District Transport Officer, Imphal West, refused to provide these papers, citing an “acute shortage of staff”.

“They refused to show the necessary documents because these cannot possibly exist since the cars have been stolen,” the advocate for the petitioner, Deepak Singh said.

A High Court bench comprising acting Chief Justice N Kotiswar Singh and Justice Kh Nobin Singh is hearing the case. The bench has given the respondents, who also include the Manipur government and police department, six weeks to file their respective response. The next hearing has been listed on December 13.

From Our Correspondent

KANGPOKPI | Oct 25

The United Welfare Committee (UWC) and various other civil voluntary organisations of Kangpokpi district have come up with a stern warning of launching intense agitation over Koubru Laikha-Tengdonjang section of NH-2 and the alleged unattended Saikul-Sapormeina bridge.

The decision was made after its emergency meeting today at the district, following the MoU with Bhartia Infra Project Limited (BIPL) in quest for finer road along National Highway-2.

The emergency meeting reviewed the CVOs’ commitment towards the safety and protection of BIPL, the agency responsible for construction of NH-2 after it inked a MoU with the agency.

It minutely deliberated on the deteriorating pavement on NH-2, Koubru Laikha-Tengdonjang section from Koubru Laikha-Kanglatongbi bazaar. The inspection report of KSO Sadar Hills on the situation of Sapormeina-Saikul bridge was also highlighted in which it was mentioned that the damaged in the aftermath of cyclone Mora has remained unattended till today rendering untold suffering to the people.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, general secretary of UWC, Tonglen Khongsai reiterated the earlier commitment of CSOs of Kangpokpi towards extending maximum cooperation and all possible help for the safety and protection of BIPL workers during the construction period. He said that BIPL agency is the first road construction agency seeking for CVOs and public assistance.

The CVOs have reaffirmed its commitment to extent all possible help and cooperation to the BIPL workers in between Gamgiphai to Taphou Kuki village during the construction period of National Highway-2, he added.

It may be mentioned that in the MoU signed by the CVOs and BIPL on October 6, the latter agreed to maintain finest quality in the construction of the NH-2 and not to compromise with quality whereas the former decided to provide maximum cooperation and extent all possible help to the workers between the stretch of Gamgiphai and Taphou Kuki.

The Kuki UGs more particularly under UPF also provided their written acknowledgement to provide full cooperation to avoid unnecessary disturbances in their respective areas of operation throughout the construction period and provided security and protection to all machineries and labourers.

However, Khongsai expressed the CVOs’ discontentment and said that the construction work of Koubru Laikha-Tengdonjang section had started almost three years ago but culminated in the midway which could hardly reached only upto Kanglatongbi bazaar. The remaining Koubru Laikha to Kanglatongbi section has been left unattended which gradually deteriorate the road condition and now it become the worst pavement along the NH-2, he added.

He continued that the KSO Sadar Hills also had inspected the condition of road earlier and drawn the immediate attention of the state government and the authority concerned but no positive response has been received so far. The appeal made by CWC to the government four months ago has also become useless, he added.

Considering the negligence and rigidity on the part of the state government, the emergency meeting of UWC and CVOs has decided to give two weeks ultimatum for construction of Koubru Laikha-Kanglatongbi section and Saikul-Sapormeina bridge, said Khongsai. If the government fails to deliver satisfactory action within the stipulated time, there will be an intense form agitation which the government shall be solely responsible for any untoward incident.