Land of Jewels (Sana Leibak)

Normal life affected: Imphal, Apr 21: Following the 48 hours road bandh on the Imphal-Tiddim line by the JAC Against the Killing of Sandham Raju by 3 Assam Rifles personnel at Salem Veng at Churachandpur district on January 21 this year, commercial activities were hampered along the said route. The bandh came into effect from 5 am today and was imposed by by residents of Moirang in Bishnupur district to protest against Government's alleged failure to conduct an inquiry into the alleged extra-judicial killing of Sandham Raju. These incensed members of the JAC as well as the local people , said they will now no longer ask the Government to fulfil their demand but take up different forms of stern agitation. Heeding the call of the bandh Moirang market was wore a deserted look with the business class preferring to close shop. Thousands of commuters living in the three adjoining districts were also adversely affected by the bandh . Till the time of filing this report there is no news of...

Women killed in New Samtal blast: In a tragic incident, three women were killed when a bomb exploded while they were working under the NREGS programme at New Samtal area in Chandel district at about 12 noon on Monday. The incident took place while the women were clearing the road. The three victims have been identified as Lhingkhonem (45), Hoikim Guite (45) and Paumeng Haokip (43). Many others were injured in the bomb blast. Nurses retract: Following the assurance given by the Health and Family Welfare Minister to consider at least some of the demands of the striking nurses after the end of the ongoing Assembly session, Nurses Association of Manipur has called off its cease work strike with effect from Monday. The decision to call off the cease work strike was taken after a serious deliberation on the assurance of the Health Minister during an emergency meeting of the general body of the Association, its general secretary N Memchoubi Devi informed. The cease work strike would remain su...

Shop owner shot by suspected UGs: A 27-old shop owner was hospitalised after he was shot at by two unidentified gunmen suspected to be UGs on Saturday evening at Kakwa bazar under Singjamei police station at Imphal. The injured man, identified as Konthoujam Pilot of Singjamei Thongam Leikai was reportedly shot with a single bullet at his left thigh by two unidentified gunmen inside his shop at Kakwa bazar at around 7.15 pm on Saturday without any reason. The victim was adimtted to Shija hospital, and Singjamei police registered a case in this connection. Woman hurt: The Joint Action Committee formed in connection with the suspicious death of Charangpat housewife Oinam ongbi Shanti Devi has said a 40 year old woman, one Binodini, has been hospitalised after being hit by a rubber bullet on Saturday in a confrontation with the police in the course of the Mayai Lambi bandh called by the JAC in protest against government failure to deliver justice in connection with Shanti’s death. Another ...

Slur casts on marker tests: Imphal, Dec 31: Without the requisite marker test for finding out adulteration in Petrol and Diesel, some of the oil pumps in Manipur have been allowed to sell the fuel after taking Rs 1000 each. In spite of being an approved private company of the Government of India for conducting the marker test, the officials of the SGS India Private Limited who came to Imphal in June 2007 did not conduct the requisite test and instead charged Rs 1000 from three oil pumps for issuing certificate of clearance. Disclosing this during a press conference at its Keishampat office here on Monday afternoon, UPF general secretary Oinam Bikramjit informed that the matter came to light after some of the personnel in these oil pumps brought the same to the notice of UPF. Bikramjit said that the Government of India introduced the marker test in 2006 and the same was implemented all over the country by 2007 with the main objective of checking adulteration of petrol and diesel oil mad...

Hands over Rs one lakh ex-gratia: Imphal, Dec 24: Terming the Pourabi bomb blast of December 16 last which claimed the lives of eight persons and wounded around 30 others as a cowardly act of terrorism, chief minister O Ibobi Singh on Monday pledged that the government would spare no efforts to find and punish those behind the blast. The chief minister, who returned to Imphal from New Delhi on Monday afternoon, met representatives of the families of the deceased at his official bungalow shortly after his arrival in the state capital and handed over ex-gratia amounting to Rs. 1 lakh each. However, the next of kin of two of the victims, L Devika daughter of Gulap of Keibi and P Ibethoi, daughter of Bungjao of Sekta Mayai Leikai, were not present apparently as they could not be informed in time. Ibobi Singh, consoling the families, said the guilty persons who were behind the horrendous act would never be spared, asserting that every effort is being made to find and punish them. Ibobi, whi...

UG held after shootout Troops of 7 Assam Rifles of 57 Mountain Division reportedly apprehended an underground activist after a brief shootout in Thanga at around 7.45 pm on Saturday. The cadre was identified as SS Sgt Maj Ningthoujam Samananda Singh of RPF (32) s/o N Budhi Singh of Nongmaikhong Mayai Leikai, a PIB Defence Wing statement said on Sunday. Commandos gun down two suspected militants Imphal East District Police Commandos reportedly killed two suspected underground activists during an encounter at Kongpal Laingam Loukol, four kilometer east of Porompat Police Station at around 5.10 pm on Sunday. The Commandos have also claimed to have recovered one 9 mm pistol loaded with five live rounds of ammunition and one point 32 pistol loaded with one live bullet from the possession of the slain activists whose identities are yet to be established. Full Story: Accused AI absolves UPF Retracting from his earlier statement purportedly given to ONK, AI Oinam Ibopishak of Zone-VI Educatio...

Seven killed in bus bomb blast: Imphal, Dec 16 : At least seven passengers, including three women, were killed when a bomb planted in the middle of the road exploded and ripped through the bus (407 Mini Canter) in which they were travelling on Sunday at about 5.10 pm at a spot in between Pourabi and Huidrom on the Imphal-Pukhao road under Lamlai police station in Imphal East. While three of them were killed on the spot, another three succumbed to their injuries at RIMS while another died at JN hospital, Porompat. All the dead bodies as well as injured were nothing less than masses of flesh with their limbs blown away. Many more are still in critical custody in the hospitals and the number of death may increase. So powerful was the blast that it flung the bus about 25 feet away from the explosion spot. The bus was a mangled remains of metal, when this reporter reached the spot. Most of the passenger seats were found ripped away by the impact of the blast while the two rear tyres were pu...