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Imphal
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Imphal on Saturday on his first visit to Manipur after ethnic violence broke out in May 2023. Modi was received at the Imphal airport by Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel. He will also inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for development projects worth Rs 8,500 crore. In view of Modi's visit, security has been tightened in state capital Imphal and the Churachandpur district. Both state and central forces' personnel were deployed in large numbers in and around the nearly 237-acre Kangla Fort in Imphal and the Peace Ground in Churachandpur, the venues of the PM's rallies. In a statement, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on Friday said, "In line with his commitment to inclusive, sustainable and holistic development of Manipur, the PM will lay the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth over Rs 7,300 crore at Churachandpur." Modi will also inaugurate multiple development projects worth more than
Security forces have arrested five militants belonging to three proscribed outfits from Manipur's Bishnupur, Imphal West, and Imphal East districts for extortion and possession of illegal arms, police said on Monday. According to officials, an active cadre of the banned UNLF (Pambei) was arrested from Toubul Mayai Leikai in Bishnupur district on Saturday. Identified as Thoudam Bobby Singh (50), he was found in possession of one .303 rifle with magazines, five magazines of different rifles, one hand grenade, 501 live rounds of ammunition of various calibres, and other items, police added. UNLF(P) had signed a peace pact with the Centre in 2023. However, its cadres continued to be arrested for extortion and possession of illegal arms and other criminal and illegal activities, officials said. On Sunday, four militants were arrested from different parts of the state. These include two militants of the proscribed Kangleipak Communist Party (City Meitei) and one each of KCP (PWG) and KC
Security forces recovered at least 11 firearms and war-like stores in Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts of Manipur, police said on Friday. The arms included one country-made AK rifle with magazine, one lathode gun, four country-made pistols with magazine, three country-made single-barrel rifles, one country-made Sten carbine and four 'Pumpis'. The Pumpi is an umbrella term used for various improvised light weapons. Besides, "military gears including BP jacket, helmet, Baofeng Walkie Talkie Set without antenna, and a pair of jungle boots were recovered from the forest of Maovom village" in Churachandpur district on Thursday, the police said in a statement. In another operation, a .32 pistol with two empty magazines and two live rounds of .32 mm ammunition were recovered from Wangoo Naodakhong area in Bishnupur district on Thursday. One person was also arrested for possessing an illegal handgun in Imphal East district. "Security forces continue to conduct search operations and
Air India has discontinued the operation of its full-service carrier at the Imphal International Airport from June 15, but the airline's low-cost subsidiary AI Express will continue services here, AAI officials said on Monday. The decision was part of the airline's "long-standing and pre-planned" strategy, they said. "It is part of a long-standing, pre-planned strategic decision by the airline, and is in no way related to any recent incident," one of the airport officials said. Altogether, 241 people on board Air India's London-bound AI 171 flight were killed when the aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from the Ahmedabad airport on June 12. "The move is part of a broader strategic realignment by the Tata Group, which owns the airline. Air India Express, the group's low-cost subsidiary, will continue its operations at Imphal, signalling a shift in service model but ensuring continued air connectivity," said another official of the Airport Authority of India (AAI) here. The Air
With heavy rain lashing Manipur for the past two days, waterlogging has been reported from different parts of the state capital Imphal on Friday affecting normal life, an official said. Waterlogging was reported from Kakwa, Thangmeiband and Sagolband areas in Imphal West district affecting traffic movement, he said. The water level of several rivers including Imphal river and Serou river which flows across Imphal valley also witnessed a significant rise. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier forecast heavy rainfall in parts of Manipur, including southern districts of Chandel, Churachandpur, Pherzawl, and portions of Kakching and Thoubal districts. According to the IMD's Meteorological Centre in Imphal, the border town of Moreh recorded the highest rainfall of 102 mm in the state on Thursday followed by Kamjong (96 mm), Chandel (76 mm), and Ukhrul (60.8 mm). Deputy Commissioner of Senapati district issued a public notice stating that the National Weather Forecasting
Security forces arrested a cadre of the banned outfit Prepak from Manipur's Kamjong district, and a firearm along with ammunition was recovered from his possession, police said on Saturday. He was apprehended from a place near the Taret river under the Kasom Khullen Police Station limits on Thursday, a senior officer said. One 9 mm pistol, along with ammunition, was seized from the possession of the arrested militant, he said. During another operation, security forces recovered two firearms, three hand grenades and ammunition at Pangei Nepali Basti and its adjoining area in Imphal East district on Friday. Security forces have been conducting search operations in Manipur since ethnic violence broke out two years ago. More than 260 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups since May 2023. The Centre had on February 13 imposed the President's rule in Manipur after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned. The state ..
The 48-hour state-wide bandh called by Meitei organisation Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) in protest against the removal of the state's name from a government bus affected normal life in the five districts of Imphal Valley for the second day on Friday. All business establishments, educational institutions, government and private offices remained closed and public transport remained off the roads. Except for medical emergencies and those seeking to go to Ukhrul district to attend Shirui Lily festival, no other private vehicles are allowed to ply on the roads. Several women bandh supporters stopped vehicles of central security forces in different parts of Bishnupur and Thoubal districts and pasted "Manipur/ Kangleipak" on the windshields of security vehicles. Kangleipak is the ancient name of Manipur. On Friday morning roadside vegetable vendors had opened their stalls at Andro Parking, Kongba and Khurai areas in Imphal East district but bandh supporters told th
The 48-hour state-wide bandh called by Meitei organisation Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) in protest against the removal of the state's name from a government bus affected normal life across the five districts of Imphal Valley on Thursday. All business establishments, educational institutions, and government and private offices were closed and public transport remained off the roads. At Wangkhei, Khurai, Kongba in Imphal East district and Kwakeithel, Naoremthong in Imphal West district, bandh supporters came out on the streets to enforce the shutdown and asked any individual outside their homes to return back. The bandh started on Wednesday midnight. Bandh supporters also burned tyres on the roads at Naoremthong, Kwakeithel, Khurai and Wangkhei in state capital Imphal. Security has been tightened across Imphal to prevent any untoward incident. Central forces personnel have been deployed at strategic places across all points leading to the Raj Bhavan. The Man
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Wednesday requested Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu to send a team to examine the soaring price of air tickets from the state to other destinations. Speaking through video conferencing at the launch of three flights of Alliance Air under viability gap funding by the state government, Singh thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Civil Aviation minister for extending support in bringing Alliance Air to Manipur. The Alliance Air will connect Imphal with Kolkata, Guwahati, and Dimapur in Nagaland from Wednesday.. "The price of air tickets is very high here. Please send a team here to examine what is happening. The Delhi to Imphal flight rate has almost gone up to Rs 20,000. Imphal to Guwahati has gone up to Rs 5,000 to 10,000. How common people can afford such high prices," he said. He said "Manipur is passing through a "difficult time" for the last 20 months, people are not moving out through the highways due to the ...
Security forces in Manipur are understood to have recovered a Starlink-like internet device, along with sniper rifles, pistols, grenades and other weapons from the Imphal East district, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. The recovery of the Starlink-like device has prompted relevant agencies to investigate how the equipment found its way to the strife-torn state, they said. Starlink does not have a license to operate in India. There is no official confirmation on whether it is a genuine Starlink device, they said. It is learnt that the recovery was made during a search operation in Imphal East on December 13. In a post on 'X', the Dimapur-headquartered Spear Corps put out the photos of the items recovered in the search operation that included the internet device with the Starlink logo. It featured inscriptions of the RPF/PLA. The search operation was carried out jointly by the Indian Army and Assam Rifles in coordination with the Manipur Police in Churachandpur, Chan
Hundreds of people took part in a rally in Manipur's capital Imphal on Tuesday to protest against the reimposition of AFSPA and the killings of six people, including three children, in Jiribam district by suspected Kuki militants last month. The rally commenced from Thau ground area in Imphal West district and covered around 5 km before culminating at Khuman Lampak stadium. Protesters held placards and raised slogans such as 'Do not obliterate Manipur' and 'Save Manipur', demanding the withdrawal of AFSPA. The procession was jointly organised to mark Human Rights Day by All Manipur United Clubs Organisation, Poirei Leimarol Meira Paibi Apunba Manipur, All Manipur Women Voluntary Association, Committee on Human Rights and Manipur Students' Federation. Woman demonstrator S Nirupama said, "On the occasion of Human Rights Day, we want to affirm that the people of Manipur stand strongly against the continued imposition of AFSPA in the state as well as against the killings of innocent wo
The Manipur government has destroyed a total of 19,135.6 acres of illegal poppy cultivation in at least 12 districts since 2017, according to an official report. In Kangpokpi district, the highest of 4,454.4 acres were destroyed during the period, followed by 3,348 acres in Ukhrul and 2,713.8 acres in Churachandpur, the study Mapping and Estimation of Opium Poppy Cultivation Area using Remote Sensing and GIS Technology revealed. The exercise was conducted by the Manipur Remote Sensing Applications Centre under the Planning Department, based on data provided by the Narcotics and Affairs of Border' wing of the state police. The other districts where illegal poppy cultivation was destroyed include 2,575 acres in Tengnoupal, 1,982.5 acres in Chandel and 1,682 acres in Senapati, the report said. It showed that the area under poppy cultivation in nine districts in 2021-22 was 28,598.91 acres, which declined to 11,288.1 acres in 2023-24. Between 2023 and 2024, poppy cultivation decreas
Schools and colleges in Manipur's Imphal Valley and Jiribam district resumed classes on Friday after a hiatus of 13 days, officials said. Students in their school uniforms and parents were seen waiting for buses in the state's capital Imphal with the law and order situation improving in the valley districts. The Directorate of Education Schools and the Higher and Technical Education Department had on Thursday ordered the resumption of classes in Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Kakching, Thoubal and Jiribam districts. K Biken Singh, a central government official whose two children study in a private school in Imphal, said, "It is a great relief that schools have reopened. Final exams of my children, who are in Class 6 and Class 7, were scheduled to start from the second week of December and parts of the syllabus are yet to be completed. Reopening of schools will allow the teachers to interact with their students." Educational institutes in the valley districts and Jiribam have
The Manipur government on Thursday announced that classes in schools and colleges in Imphal Valley districts and Jiribam would resume from November 28 after a hiatus of 13 days. Educational institutes in these districts have remained closed since November 16 after the dead bodies of three women and three children in Jiribam were recovered from the Jiri and Barak rivers in Manipur and Assam respectively. An order issued by the Directorate of Education- Schools said, "Normal classes will resume for all schools of the state, government, government aided, private and central schools from November 29." The government educational institutions or government-aided colleges under the Higher and Technical Education Department, including state universities, will resume classes with effect from Friday, a separate order said. Violence escalated in Manipur after three women and three children belonging to the Meitei community had gone missing from a relief camp in Jiribam after a gunfight betwee
Hundreds of people protested in different parts of Imphal valley on Saturday after three bodies suspected to be of six persons missing were found from Jiribam district. The protesters mostly women blocked the main roads in Kwakeithel area in Imphal West district, Sagolband Tera in Imphal West district by burning tyres to prevent vehicular movement, police said. At Khwairamband market, the main market of Manipur, women vendors staged a protest rally against the killing even as huge security forces were deployed in Imphal, the police said. As news of the recovery of three bodies spread, business establishments and markets closed down. Locals also came out on the streets at Ningthoukhong in Bishnupur district and Lamlong in Imphal East district to stage protests against the killing. The state government has already declared a holiday for schools and colleges on Saturday. Three bodies of a woman and two children suspected to be of six persons missing from Jiribam district were found