Land of Jewels (Sana Leibak)

State braves boycott, drizzle to celebrate R-Day: Imphal: Boycott call by insurgent outfits and the chill generated by the January rain failed to dampen the spirit of the country's 59th Republic Day celebration as an impressive crowd thronged Kangla Fort to witness the riot of colour on Saturday. The celebration culminated with the Beating of the Retreat programme at 1st Manipur Rifles ground on Sunday afternoon with Governor Dr SS Sidhu gracing the occasion as the chief guest. Prizes to position winning march past contingents, cultural troupes and schools were also distributed by the Governor. Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh took the salute from the march past contingents, which official report put at 64 security forces, NCC and schools, and 14 cultural troupes apart from taleaux of nine departments highlighting acheivements and policy/programme of the Government. Soon after arrival for the function a contingent of Manipur Women Police under the command of Miss Puspanjali (IPS) a...

UNLF denies charge: Imphal, Jan. 4: The United National Liberation Front (UNLF) on Friday denied allegations by Delhi police that the outfit was involved in the killing of Khuplam Hangsing, a senior leader of the Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA). Hangsing was murdered by unidentified persons on November 12 at a flat in West Delhi. According to Delhi police, the murder was carried out at the behest of W. Luwangamba, an active member of the UNLF. A monetary dispute led to the murder of Hangsing, they claimed. The “senior publicity officer” of the UNLF, Ksh. Yoiheiba, denied the outfit’s role in the murder. In a statement, the UNLF said the claim by Delhi police was false and that the “baseless story” was churned out by intelligence agencies to create ill feelings between the two outfits. The statement said Luwangamba, who was a “corporal” of the UNLF, had deserted the outfit more than three years back and since then been an active member of a gang involved in several incidents of extortion ...

Cops crack case: New Delhi, Jan 3: A monetary dispute with banned United National Liberation Front (UNLF) led to the murder of a prominent Kuki leader in the capital two months ago and 10 people were allegedly involved in hammering him to death. Out of the 10, police has managed to arrest two men from Punjab on December 21, police said on Thursday. Implicated in the case is one Luwangamba of the UNLF. The UNLF had already expelled Luwangamba from the outfit earlier, said a spokesman. Khuplam Hangsing (35), chairman of banned Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA), died under mysterious circumstances on November 12 at his brother's rented accommodation in Sriniwaspuri of west Delhi and intra-group rivalry was suspected to be the reason behind the murder. The investigation of the murder was handed over to Special Cell of the city police and after probing KRA's inter and intra-group rivalries, they zeroed in on two persons who were allegedly involved in the operation. While Malkeet Singh, ...

AR CO extends aid, 11 still critical: Imphal, Dec 27: Out of 31 persons who sustained injuries in the December 16 bomb blast near Pourabi Lamjing Meira High School, eleven are still undergoing treatment in critical condition at JN Hospital, RIMS and Shija Hospital. This is in addition to eight killed in the blast. A statement issued by the ‘JAC Against the Pourabi Huidrom Bomb Blast’ informed that of the injured victims undergoing treatment in RIMS, Konthoujam Michael's right leg is in a critical condition even after his left leg had been amputated at knee. The JAC has also expressed its gratitude to the CO of 39 Assam Rifles, Col Bikramjit for extending financial help to the tune of Rs 55,000. Hit by splinters at legs, hands, back with a part of his left heel already severed, Okram Imobi (36) is also battling for life in hospital. Mangjam Abung (20) is suffering from broken back bone and spinal cord. With his two fingers already severed, Heikrujam Herojit (30) is also staring at p...

15 wounded in critical condition, women take to streets: Imphal, Dec 17: Out of the 22 wounded in Sunday’s bomb blast and admitted in various hospitals, seven have been discharged while 15 remain in critical condition. Two of the injured, Takhellambam Kiran and Thounaojam Premkumar, have been admitted to the RIMS eye ward, while Okram Ingobi, 35, Konthoujam Michael, 20, Hekrujam Herojit, 28, Singam Premananda, 32, Wahengbam Bembem, 14, Singam Singhajit, 18, and Maibam Amar, 14, were admitted at RIMS ortho ward. Heikrujam Rasheswori, 42, Nambram Somorendro, 19 are in the RIMS surgery ward, Mayengbam Ibethoi, 32, in the RIMS female eye ward, while Thangjam Abung, 20, is being kept in the RIMS casualty for further observation. Another injured victim is currently at JN hospital while one more is at Shija Hospital. The bodies of all seven killed in the blast remain unclaimed at RIMS morgue till Monday, but as per the agreement with the JAC, the families would take them on Tuesday. Outraged...

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...