Page 10 - Manipur Govt

Suspected militants ambush Manipur CM's advance security convoy, one hurt

Suspected militants ambushed the advance security convoy of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh in Kangpokpi district on Monday, leaving one personnel injured, police said. The convoy was on its way to violence-hit Jiribam district. Multiple gunshots were fired at the vehicles of the security forces, who retaliated, they said, adding, the shootout is still on near Kotlen village along a stretch of National Highway-53. At least one personnel suffered bullet injuries during the attack, police said. "CM Biren Singh, who is yet to reach Imphal from Delhi, was planning to visit Jiribam to take stock of the situation in the district, an official told PTI. Two police outposts, a forest beat office and at least 70 houses were torched in Jiribam by suspected militants on Saturday.

Situation tense but under control in violence-hit Manipur's Jiribam

The situation in Manipur's Jiribam district remained tense but under control on Sunday, after suspected militants torched two police outposts and at least 70 houses in a fresh bout of violence in the state, police said. Additional security forces have been deployed in the affected areas following the incident on Saturday evening, they said. "The situation is tense but under control in the wake of violent disturbances that broke out in Jiribam district in which miscreants torched two police pickets, a forest beat office... and several houses belonging to both Meitei and Kuki communities, the Manipur Police said in a statement. Police is also actively monitoring social media updates, which may incite communal feelings amongst the communities and requests general public to refrain from spreading unfounded/ unverified information," it said. Violence broke out in Jiribam in the ethnic strife-torn state on Thursday evening, after suspected militants killed a 59-year-old man. The person,

More than 200 people move to relief camp in Manipur's Jiribam district

More than 200 people belonging to the Meitei community have been evacuated from their villages in Manipur's Jiribam district and moved to a newly set up relief camp after violence broke out following the killing of a man allegedly by militants, officials said Saturday. The houses of the people staying in the relief camp at Jiri Sports Complex were burnt in the outlying villages of Lamtai khunou, Dibong Khunou, Nunkhal and Begra in the Jiribam district by suspected militants. Most of the newly displaced people were staying in villages more than 30 km from Jiribam town, an official said, adding "more security personnel have been rushed to the area." The Manipur police have ordered state police commando personnel based in Imphal Valley to proceed to Jiribam on Saturday for duty with immediate effect. Tension erupted in ethnic strife-torn Manipur's Jiribam district on Thursday evening after a 59-year-old man belonging to one community was killed allegedly by militants belonging to ...

Manipur: Over 188K affected by floods, more than 24,000 houses damaged

A total of 1,88,143 people have been affected by floods in Manipur following incessant rainfall in the aftermath of Cyclone Remal, a state minister said on Thursday. It has also damaged at least 24,265 houses in the last few days, he said. Altogether 18,103 people have been evacuated and 56 relief camps were set up, Minister for Water Resources and Relief & Disaster Management Awangbou Newmai informed. In a post on Facebook, he said: "Held a brief meeting with Additional Chief Secretary, Deputy Commissioner Imphal West & East, Directorate Relief and Disaster Management to review the flood situation, and strategising for immediate action on relief, search and rescue operations." Around 401 hectares of crop have been affected, too, he said. Relief materials have been distributed to Imphal East, Imphal West, Bisnupur, Noney, Churanchanpur, Senapati and Kakching, the minister said. Newmai said three persons have died and nine people suffered injuries, while one is missing due to ..

5,457 'illegal immigrants' detected in Manipur's Kamjong, says CM Singh

The Manipur government has detected 5,457 illegal immigrants in the Kamjong district and measures are being taken for their deportation, Chief Minister N Biren Singh said. The biometric data of 5,173 people have been collected, he said on X. "The biometrics of those staying at Phaikoh, Huimi Thana/Sangkalok refugee camps are being obtained, an official said. The CM said his government has been providing humanitarian aide to all the illegal immigrants. We have been handling this situation with utmost sensitivity," he said. Earlier this month, at least 38 more illegal immigrants from Myanmar, who had crossed over to Manipur, were deported through Moreh town in Tengnoupal district, Singh had informed. A total of 77 such immigrants were deported in the first phase, he said.

Over 15,000 houses damaged in hailstorm in Manipur: CM Biren Singh

Over 15,000 houses were damaged in the hailstorm that hit Manipur on Sunday, Chief Minister N Biren Singh said. Addressing a press conference on Monday, Singh said several vehicles were also damaged in the disaster. "The state sustained massive damage in yesterday's hailstorm. Further assessment is going on. So far, 15,425 houses have been severely damaged. The Imphal West district is worst affected with 6,053 houses being damaged," Singh said. "A total of 5,600 houses were damaged in Imphal East, while in Churachandpur district, 540 houses were damaged," he said. The hailstorm damaged 1,179 houses in Bishnupur, 800 houses in Thoubal, 292 in Kangpokpi, and 200 in Ukhrul, he added. Singh said 42 relief camps were opened following the disaster, and relief materials were being provided through the deputy commissioners. "A total of Rs 6.19 crore has been sanctioned to meet the relief expenses, of which Rs 50 lakh each for the valley districts and Rs 40 lakhs each for the hill distric

In conflict-torn Manipur, youngsters take up arms to 'protect' villages

Every day in shifts, morning and night, a group of armed youngsters patrol roads around Manipur's Koutruk village. Their objective: Keep residents safe from the warring factions of Meitei and Kuki, two communities that have been in conflict since last year. These youngsters, mostly in their late 20s and early 30s, identify themselves as volunteers and say they have taken up the responsibility to keep their own safe as security forces "could not do enough to protect us". Kotruk in the Imphal Valley is one of the many villages in the state that is "protected" by such groups which identify themselves as "Village Volunteers", "Village Volunteer Force", "Village Defence Force" and "Village Protection Force". These groups, officials say, are not associated with any security agency or the armed forces. Trained in basic combat tactics, the village forces have vowed to keep their areas safe from the ethnic violence that has left many dead, injured and displaced. Their presence in villages

Manipur unrest: Modi govt apathetic, remorseless, alleges Congress

The Congress on Friday attacked the Modi government over the situation in Manipur, accusing it of being apathetic and remorseless. In a post on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge noted that Manipur started burning exactly a year ago on May 3, 2023. "Humanity perished in Manipur The cruel combination of an apathetic Modi Government and an inept BJP State Government have virtually divided the state into two halves. "A remorseless PM Modi has not set foot in this border state, for it exposes his rank incompetency and absolute indifference. His ego has damaged the social fabric of a beautiful state," he charged in a post on X. Kharge noted that the people of Manipur, from all communities now know how the BJP made their lives miserable. "People of Northeast, now know that Modi Government's shameless drumbeating about so called development drowned the voices of humanity in the region. People of India, now know that PM Modi and his Government has no iota of sympathy for the countle

IED explosion damages bridge on NH 2 in ethnic violence-hit Manipur

A bridge on the National Highway 2 in ethnic violence-hit Manipur's Kangpokpi district was partially damaged in an IED explosion early on Wednesday, disrupting traffic movement in the area, police said. The blast occurred on the bridge between Sapermeina and Koubru Leikha areas around 12.45 am, an officer said. No casualties were reported so far in the improvised explosive device (IED) blast, he said. Three craters and cracks on both ends of the bridge were noticed, the officer said. Movement of heavy vehicles has been stopped on the bridge connecting Manipur's capital Imphal with Nagaland's Dimapur. Minutes after the explosion, police personnel rushed to the spot and cordoned off the bridge, he said, adding that an investigation into the IED blast has been initiated. Some two-wheelers, however, were seen plying on the bridge this morning. The IED explosion occurred hours after gunfights broke out between village volunteers of the two warring communities in Imphal West district

Significant human rights abuses in Manipur after ethnic violence: US report

There were significant human rights abuses in Manipur after the outbreak of ethnic conflict, the US State Department said on Monday in its Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has described the incident as shameful and urged action on the case, it said. In its annual report of the State Department, which is mandated by the US Congress, it also mentions the raids by tax authorities on the office of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), the conviction and sentencing to two years of prison to Rahul Gandhi by a court in Gujarat. Released by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the report mentions some of the positive developments on the issue of human rights and freedom of expression and gathering in the year 2023, the duration of the report. In July, the government permitted a march in Srinagar, the main city of Kashmir, allowing Shia Muslims to mark the religious Muharram event. This procession represented the first government-sanctioned ...

LS polls: Amit Shah to campaign in violence-hit Manipur on Monday

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will campaign in ethnic strife-torn Manipur on Monday, besides visiting Tripura and Rajasthan to garner support for BJP candidates in the Lok Sabha polls, sources said. Shah will address a rally in Imphal seeking votes for Thounaojam Basanta Kumar Singh, the education minister of the northeastern state who is also the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) candidate from the Inner Manipur constituency in the upcoming election. The seat is currently held by BJP leader and Minister of State for External Affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh. The Inner Manipur Lok Sabha segment has 32 Assembly constituencies across the conflict-scarred Imphal valley. Ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, 2023 after a tribal solidarity march was organised in the state's hill districts to protest against the majority Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Since then, more than 220 people have been killed in the continuing violence. The BJP has not fielded any

Kukis, Meitis unite on one point - not right time for LS polls in Manipur

The Kukis and Meitis may be at loggerheads in Manipur but their thoughts on one point converge -- this is not the right time for Lok Sabha elections in the restive state. It has nearly been a year since ethnic violence broke out between the hill-majority Kukis and the valley-majority Meitis. It has not only killed over 200 people and displaced around 50,000 but also sharply divided Manipur along ethnic lines. Elections for two Lok Sabha seats in Manipur will be held on April 19 and 26. While Inner Manipur and some segments of Outer Manipur will vote in the first phase, the remaining segments of Outer Manipur will go to polls on April 26. Living separately and refusing to co-exist in future, many members of both Kukis and Meitis communities ask - why elections at this time and what difference will they make? "Our demand is clear - we want a separate administration for the Kuki Zo community. For years the development has only been in the valley and not our areas and after what has ..

Special polling booths arranged for 5K voters displaced by Manipur violence

All arrangements to enable displaced people to vote have been made in accordance with the guidance received from the central government

Battleground 2024: Ahead of Lok Sabha polls, Manipur counts its losses

GST mop-up falls 24% to Rs 1,095 crore in FY24

Right to live before right to vote: Common refrain in Manipur relief camps

"Why should I vote to elect a representative of a place which is no longer mine... elections mean nothing to us," says a distraught Nobi who lost her home 11 months ago to ethnic violence in Manipur, and is living in a relief camp. The 42-year-old is not alone as 'right to live before right to vote' and 'peace before polls' was the common refrain of many who have not been able to return to their home due to recurrent clashes and lingering hostilities between the warring ethnic groups in the northeast state. The state has traditionally seen a very high voter turnout with more than 82 per cent polling recorded in the 2019 elections. But the ethnic violence has cast a shadow on the polls this time around with several civil society groups and the affected people questioning the relevance of holding elections in the current circumstances. "The government hasn't been able to ensure my right to live with dignity and they are going to ensure my right to vote?" Nobi asks. "My house was burn

Manipur LS polls: Over 24k displaced people to vote from relief camps

Eleven months of conflict, over 50,000 displaced people and an anti-poll sentiment among few---the Election Commission in violence-hit Manipur is gearing up for the challenging task of holding Lok Sabha elections in the state where the poll scene is muted. Chief Electoral Officer, Pradeep Kumar Jha said over 24,500 displaced people have been identified as eligible to vote in the upcoming elections and special arrangements have been made for them to cast their franchise from relief camps. "A total of 2,955 polling stations will be set up in the state for the Lok Sabha elections, out of which around 50 per cent have been identified as sensitive, vulnerable or critical. We are also setting up 94 special polling stations to facilitate voting by internally displaced persons (IDPs), Jha told PTI. As per Election Commission of India (ECI) norms, a vulnerability mapping of hamlets, villages and electoral segments vulnerable for threat and intimidation, is conducted ahead of polls. "Special

Traders at Manipur's women-run Ima market question relevance of elections

Amidst the lingering aftermath of ethnic conflicts, the women traders at Manipur's iconic 'Ima market' -- the only market in the world run entirely by women -- have expressed a deafening lack of enthusiasm towards the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Questioning the relevance of the electoral process amidst the ongoing turmoil, the women traders from various market associations, are contemplating a boycott of the polls with their major grievance being -- "the nation forgot Manipur". Nema Devi, a seasoned fish vendor at the market, reflects the sentiment shared by many, emphasising the absence of tangible change despite months of unrest. "Even 11 months after the violence, there has not been a resolution and no restoration of peace. We continue to live by the rule of taking one day at a time. Living in continuous fear and going ahead with our usual lives. "What will change with the elections? The nation, the government, everybody forgot Manipur," 52-year-old Devi, who has been running

Amit Shah speaks to CMs of WB, Assam, Manipur after storm hits 3 states

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday spoke to the chief ministers of West Bengal, Assam and Manipur in the wake of severe losses suffered by the three states due to a storm, and assured them of all possible central help. Shah also appealed to the BJP workers in the three states to provide every possible help to the affected people during this hour of distress. "Deeply concerned about the severe loss suffered by West Bengal, Assam, and Manipur due to a storm. Spoke to the Chief Ministers and assured them of all possible assistance. I extend my sincerest condolences to the families of the deceased and pray for the swift recovery of the injured," he wrote on X. Four people died and over 100 were injured as a storm wreaked havoc in parts of Jalpaiguri district in northern West Bengal on Sunday, while a child died and two persons were reported missing after a boat capsized in the Brahmaputra in South Salmara-Mankachar district, amid heavy rain and hailstorm across Assam. There were a

Lok Sabha polls: Law minister of conflict-torn Manipur gets BJP ticket

Thounaojam Basanta Kumar Singh will replace the sitting MP and Union Minister Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, who represents the Inner Manipur constituency since 2019

Manipur govt to introduce grading system in class 10 board examination

At least 37,715 students including 18,628 female students are appearing for the matriculation examination which is being held from March 15 to April 8 in 154 examination centres