Land of Jewels (Sana Leibak)

Imphal, June 19 : The All Manipur Working Journalists' Union has strongly condemned the threat issued to the media by an individual who identified himself as one Taiwan of PULF for not publishing a press release issued by an organisation which has never been heard of before. In a statement, the scribes' body said that Taiwan had called up a newspaper house and informed that a bomb has been lobbed at the office of The Sangai Express and further warned that such attack would be launched at other newspaper offices. Besides this another person who identified himself as one Khamba Luwang of the KCP also called up newspaper houses today morning and demanded to know why the statement was not published. AMWJU and Editors in a meeting discussed the issue at hand and appealed to the Government to ensure security so that the media persons can work freely without fear. An emergency meeting of editors and the All Manipur Working Journalists Union, AMWJU, held at the Sangai Express, condemne...

Arrests defang PULF: New Delhi, May 4: Fifteen years after its formation, the Manipur-based outfit, it was the beginning of the end for the People’s United Liberation Front (PULF) despite efforts by the Bangladeshi militant group Harkat-ul-Jehad-al-Islami to resuscitate it. Last week, nine of the PULF’s top leaders and activists were arrested in Assam and Karnataka. “General secretary” Md Ibrahim alias Qusi alias M.I. Khan, “secretary external affairs and chief of army” Md. Nurjaman alias Deny, “organisation-cum-publicity-secretary” Md Abdul Jabbar alias Belal Khan and “deputy commander in-chief-cum-finance secretary” Md Nasir Khan alias Thadoi alias Keshorjit alias Boy, were arrested from a Mysore hotel on April 27. Three more PULF militants were arrested from a rented house in Guwahati on the same day. The PULF was formed by a group of Meitei Pangal (Muslim) in 1993, the year Manipur witnessed a bloody communal clash between Meiteis and Meitei Pangals, which left more than 100 dead. ...

CII award for state health worker : Imphal, May 2: The Confederation of Indian Industry in its effort to promote women's empowerment at the community level has instituted an award known as Women Exemplar for grassroot community women who have excelled in different fields of work thereby making a significant contribution to the development process. Since 2006 the award has been given to women of the country for their outstanding contributions to the society. For the year 2008 the award was given to Manipur Voluntary Health Association`s program director N Nanda for health by the chief minister of Delhi Sheila Dixit on April 29 at the Le Meridien Hotel, New Delhi. 50-yr-old suffers fatal stroke after UG demand: Imphal, May 2: In a bizarre incident a 50-year old headmaster of a primary school died after suffering from a BP stroke on April 30 at Moreh after he was asked to give Rs. 5 lakhs by one of the valley based UG groups, sources said. The victim, Naorem Bisembor, 50, of Tentha K...

Monika wins medals in Asian Weightlifting: New Delhi, Apr 29: Laishram Monika Devi fetched the first medals for India in the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Kanazawa, Japan on Tuesday by finishing overall third in women's 69 kg category. Monika lifted a total weight of 222 kg (100 in snatch and 122 in clean and jerk) to finish behind Liu Chunhong of China (262: 117+145) and Kao Ya-chun of Chinese Taipei (222: 98+124) respectively. The Manipuri girl added a silver and bronze as she was second in snatch and third in clean and jerk. Army Launches Tipaimukh Vigil: Imphal, Apr 29: Troops of the 57 Mountain Division started patrolling the Tipaimukh Hydel Project site in Manipur’s Churachandpur district on Tuesday after militants blew off a drilling rig and brought work to a standstill on Saturday. Militants had blasted a drilling machine using an IED, forcing all engineers and workers to flee the project site, located on the Manipur-Mizoram border. The Hmar Peoples Convention (Demo...

Imphal Police surprised the UGs: Imphal, Apr 27: Six PULF cadres including its general secretary, deputy commander-in-chief, finance secretary, publicity secretary and chief of army have been apprehended by a team of Manipur Police led by SP Imphal East Th Radheshyam from a hotel at Mysore at about 9 this morning. Talking to The Sangai Express over phone, SP Th Radheshyam said that following a specific information that PULF leading were meeting at Kolkata, a police team including himself and two commando officers of Imphal East district went to Kolkata on April 24 . But the scheduled of PULF at Kolkata did not take place and in the meantime it was learnt that the PULF leading were meeting at Chennai. Subsequently, the police went down to Chennai. But there too the meeting did not materialise. Then the police team went to Bangalore where the PULF leaders were reported to be holding their meeting. This morning it was informed that the PULF leaders were actually meeting at Mysore. With th...

12 hr state bandh comes into force on Tuesday: Imphal, Feb 4: Demanding the safe release of AE Naorem Keshwar Singh from the custody of the armed outfit PULF, the JAC formed against the abduction has called a State wide 12-hour general strike with effect from 5 am on Tuesday. A resident of Kakching Wairi Senapati Leikai, AE Keswar who is attached with the Kakchig sub-division of Electricity Department was abducted by armed cadres of PULF from his office on January 31. In a memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister on Monday, the JAC gave 12 noon Tuesday as the deadline for securing the safe release of the abducted engineer. Otherwise, a State wide general strike which would cover even essential services would be called, the JAC had announced. In protest against the abduction, the Manipur Electricity Employees' Union, Kakching Branch staged a dharna in front of the gate of the head office of the Electricity Department here on Monday. Apart from Meira Paibis from Kakching area and M...

Kakching residents set deadline: Imphal, Feb 3: Kakching bazar observed a shutdown on Sunday in protest against the kidnapping of Naorem Keshwar Singh, an assistant engineer in the state electricity department, by cadres of an underground group on January 31. Several hundred Kakching residents, including members of the family of abducted engineer, also staged a massive sit-in protest at the Irabot Park, Kakching bazar over the kidnapping. A joint action committee has also been formed to take further course of action in connection with the issue. According to reports, shops and business establishments in the entire Kakching bazar, as well as vegetable and other vendors, also observed a shutdown in sympathy with the mass protest that began at 10 am in the morning. It may be mentioned, assistant engineer Naorem Keshore Singh, hailing from Kakching Wairi Senapati Leikai, who is posted in the electricity department`s executive engineer`s office was abducted by unidentified gunmen on January...

Released engineer recalls ordeal: Imphal, Feb 2: Thoubal division PWD sub-division I AE Sorokhaibam Menjor Singh, who had been abducted by cadres of the underground People`s United Liberation Front, PULF was released after five days captivity late Friday evening. Menjor, who spoke to mediapersons at his home at Charangpat Mayai Leikai on Saturday morning, told mediapersons that he was let go by his captors at around 7:15 pm at Lilong bazar. Recalling his ordeal, he informed that he had been abducted by some five persons on the evening of January 28 last after waylaying him on his way home from office at a spot at Usoipokpi. He said he was kept blindfolded for the next five days at an undisclosed place before being released on Friday evening at Lilong. Expressing regret over victimization of subordinate staff of the department by the underground groups, he pointed out that the staff of the department of the rank of AE and below have nothing to do with financial matters, and appealed to ...

Unidentified gunmen kill two youth: Imphal, Dec 27: Two youths were shot dead by unidentified armed persons atop the hill of Changamdabi Sagol Lou Khabei Leikai about 8 kms North of Yairipok police station on Wednesday night. The slain youths have been identified as Mohd Izu Khan (17) s/o Alimuddin of Yairipok Tulihal Mayai Leikai and Mohd Raju Khan (16) s/o late Abdul Matlib of Yairipok Tulihal Konjil Leikai. According to inputs received from family members of the deceased, Raju Khan left home for Changamdabi at about 11 am yesterday to deliver invitation cards for the marriage of one of his maternal uncles. As the two failed to return till late evening, the family members started searching for them at Changamdabi. Unable to trace the duo, local people joined the families in searching for the missing duo this morning during which their corpses were found atop the hill at about 6 am. The hands and legs of the two youths were found tied. A bullet which hit Izu Khan near his lip exited t...