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Fri 03 Nov 13:00:00 IST 2000 |
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TEN CIVILIANS SHOT DEAD IN AR FIRING, THREE HURT FIRING PROVOKED BY EXPLOSION, PROHIBITORY ORDERS CONTEMPLATED Source: The Imphal Free Press Imphal, Nov 2: Ten persons, most of them believed to be civilians, were shot dead by personnel of the Assam Rifles at Malom Makha Leikai Boroi Makhong following a bomb attack on an AR convoy along the Tiddim road this afternoon. At least three persons, including two AR personnel and a woman sustained injuries. According to reliable sources, a bomb, previously planted by suspected insurgents exploded on the roadside at around 3:20 pm while a three-vehicle convoy of the 8th Assam Rifles was passing by towards Imphal. Following the explosion, the AR troops got down from their vehicles and began firing towards people who were running for cover following the explosion. Eight persons, including a middle-aged woman, were killed at a bus stop at Malom Makha Leikai, while two others died near a culvert inside the village. A statement issued by the Assam Rifles in connection with the incident said simultaneously with the bomb explosion, the AR troops were fired on by unidentified underground cadres as a result of which two AR personnel sustained gunshot injuries. In the exchange of fire that followed, the statement continued, nine persons were killed. It said these included two scooter-borne UGs who were seen fleeing from the site, as well as a group of people running in the opposite direction. The statement further claimed that one M-16 rifle and an AK-47 magazine were recovered from the site, as well as a buried wire of about 150 metres length and two scooters which it said had been used by the UGs. Local zilla parishad and student leaders, however, strongly denied the official version of the incident and alleged that the Assam Rifles personnel opened indiscriminate fire after the explosion killing ten bystanders. One Ngangom Dayabati Devi, 38, of Mekola Maning Leikai was hit by a bullet at the forehead while sitting outside her house, and had to be evacuated to hospital. Following the incident, the entire area was cordoned off and traffic along the Tiddim Road blocked at Changangei and Utlou by AR troops and massive search operations launched in and around Malom Makha Leikai, Malom Tulihal, Malom Tuliyaima, Mekola, and surrounding villages. While AR personnel refused to let reporters enter the cordoned off area, a few managed to slip in, but these were also not allowed to leave the main road. Police arrived 30 minutes after the incident, but they too were not allowed to enter the area for some time. Local people, who spoke over the telephone to IFP said there was heavy presence of troops in the area till late tonight, without any civil police personnel or women security forces personnel. They said most of the people were frightened at what the AR would do to them. In the meantime, four of the deceased victims have been identified so far. They are Sinam Robin, 28, of Tulihal Makha Leikai, Tokpam Shantikumar, 25 of Malom Makha Leikai, Kshetrimayum Inaocha, 20 of Tulihal Awang Leikai and Gurumayum Babu, 45, of Lairenjam Mayai Leikai. NO ACTION TAKEN TO COMBAT RODENT MENACE AT TAMENGLONG
Imphal, November 2: There has been no initiative on the part of the state government to tackle the situation created by the sudden explosion in rodent population in Tamei subdivision of Tamenglong district, which has left the people of this area staring at the very real possibility of famine and starvation. According to reports from the subdivision, rice crops have been destroyed on a massive scale at Lenglong, Khunphung, New Khunphung, Takao, Chalon, Tama, Eleng, Tamei, Kawalong, Atang Khullen, Atang Khuman, Thijang, Lasang, Lamhaba, Langmei, New Katang, Phalong, Namtiram, Z Prabam, Tipram Longpram, Unpa, Emem, Phaklong and Tousem villages by the rats. The villagers' own efforts to control the rats and protect the paddy fields have been in vain, the report said. Following complaints from the affected villagers, the minister of state for works, Mangaibou, who represents Tamei constituency, had brought up the matter twice with the chief minister Wahengbam Nipamacha. Mangaibou, speaking to IFP, said the chief minister had instructed the state chief secretary to take up necessary steps to control the situation in Tamei subdivision. However, there has been no sign of any effort on the government's part to tackle the situation till date. Although the villagers are still anticipating government help, they are bracing themselves to face another famine. Although the harvesting season is almost over, the villagers have left their paddy fields unharvested because the rats have eaten most of the rice grains. Mangaibou said there is still the need for government to help the affected people, although it was too late to take up preventive measures. He said he would pressurize the state government to extend necessary aid to the people of these villages so that they do not have to face food scarcity. NORMAL LIFE DISRUPTED BY TIDDIM ROAD BLOCKADE
Imphal, November 2: The Tiddim line blockade called by the CI College Students Union, Bishnupur has severely disrupted normal life in the Bishnupur district. All government departments, private and government schools and colleges were totally paralyzed because of the bandh. Very poor attendance of employees was registered in all government offices. The bandh has crippled all normal commercial activities in Moirang, Ningthoukhong and Bishnupur bazar. The bus service along the line were all cancelled, though several buses and private vehicles reached Imphal from Churachandpur after detouring around through Kumbi, Wangoo, Sugnu, Mayang Imphal and Hiyanthang along Mayai Lambi road. At least one bus was stoned at Nambol today evening and a Maruti van, reportedly carrying on board the first runner up of the Miss Kut Contest was also smashed at Bishnupur Thongparok Thongkhong by blockade supporters. The college students were demanding immediate renovation of classroom, filling up of vacancies of regular lecturers, transferred, extension of science laboratory, construction of student's common room and repairing of CI college approach road from the Tiddim road. Meanwhile, the college students had served an ultimatum to all bus or vehicle owners to comply with the direction of the college students union or else meet dire consequences. In another development, the Meira Paibis of Bishnupur and adjoining areas will hold a meeting tomorrow at Bishnupur Community Hall to discuss the deteriorating law and order situation in Bishnupur district. MUSU, AMCTA NEXT IN STIR LINE-UP Imphal, November 2: On top of the ongoing cease work strike of the Manipur University Teachers Association, the MU staff have launched their own cease work strike demanding restoration of academic atmosphere in the university. With exasperated students of the university having locked up all the departments since yesterday, the entire university has been paralyzed. The Manipur University Students Union, in the meantime has submitted a memorandum to the Governor, Ved Prakash Marwah, drawing his attention to the complete shutdown of the university. The memorandum pointed out that the entire academic atmosphere of the university has been paralyzed due to the MUTA's cease work strike. It also drew the Governor's attention to the lack of infrastructure, including the incomplete ladies hostel, and also non-repairment of department buildings and inadequate library facilities. The memorandum, a copy of which was also submitted to the chief minister, warned that if the state government did not work out a way to bring an end to the teachers' strike before November 3, the MUSU would initiate a state wide strike from November 4 for a return of academic atmosphere to the university. In the meantime, in a move guaranteed to add to the headaches of the state government, the All Manipur College Teachers Association is contemplating launching an agitation after the government failed to meet the deadline set by it to meet its demands. The executive body of the AMCTA has convened a meeting on November 4 next to consider the next line of action. NE CRAFTS FESTIVAL AT DELHI IN DECEMBER
Imphal, November 2: The Crafts Society of Manipur (CSM), a voluntary organisation promoting crafts and crafts persons of the North Eastern states will organize the 6th North East Crafts Festival at Dilli Haat, New Delhi from December 16 to 31 this year. The festival will be inaugurated by the First Lady of India, Mrs Usha Narayanan. President of Dastakari Haat Samity, New Delhi, Mrs Jaya Jaitly and Development Commissioner for Handicrafts, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, Mrs Tinoo Joshi, IAS will be the president and the guest of honour respectively at the inaugural function. The festival is going to be sponsored by the office of the Development Commissioner for Handicrafts, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. According to a press release issued here today by the president of the CSM, Ramesh Salam, the festival, the sixth of its kind to be held in metropolitan cities, will display wide ranging crafts products of the North Eastern states. Around 150 crafts artisans, many of them national awardees and state awardees will take part in the festival. The festival, Ramesh Salam opines, aims at providing marketing avenues for the artisans of the NE region to directly sell their products to customers from different parts of the country and also receive not only orders for bulk supply but also wide appreciation. SPORTS: Imphal, November 2: M Romenkumar's golden goal in the first minute of the extra time propelled Hockey Union (HU) to the final of the 3rd Dr Kanti Mukherjee Memorial Hockey Tournament. The team beat COSMO in the semi final played today at Khuman Lampak Hockey Stadium. On the second semi-final match, both HU and COSMO displayed superior technique with their sticks. Both the team played aggressive hockey throughout the match. RK Bikramjit broke the stalemate in the 15th minute of the first half for COSMO through a field goal. Shortly afterwards, Y Bijentakumar of HU provided the equiliser in the 18th minute. After the equaliser, both the team put up a pulsating battle to maintain lead. But no side could take the advantage of the penalty corners at will. The rival provided the lead for HU in the 40th minute through a field goal. And K Biramani sounded the board for COSMO to give the equalizer. At the end of the regulation period, both teams were locked at 2 all. And the fate of the match was decided by extra time. M Romenkumar scored the golden goal for HU in the first minute of the extra time through a penalty corner. The final match between FCI and HU will play on November 5 and the match for the third place will be played tomorrow between losing semi finalists SSB and COSMO. SEMIFINALISTS OF MINI FOOTBALL IDENTIFIED Imphal, November 2: PYA Kairang stormed into the semi final of the 19th State Level Mini Football Tournament after defeating TIC 3-0 in the quarter final played at the THAU ground today. In another quarterfinal match MYC, Maharabi overcame TYC Nambulane by 2 goals to 1. Both PYA and MYC have entered the semi finals of the tournament. Right from the first whistle, the match was dominated by PYA boys upto a certain extent. But they also displayed some occasional hiccups during the match. PYA took the lead in the 26th minute of the first half through O Penter. TIC took great pain to equalize the score but failed to deliver it in front of the home crowd. Md Amir added another goal to the score in the 43rd minute to consolidate their position. In the second quarterfinal match being played today, David Hmar of TYC netted the first goal as early as the 3rd minute. Sanajaoba gave the equalizer for MYC in the 12th minute and A Tomba netted the winning goal in the 28th minute of the first half. After today's match, semifinal line-up has been drawn up. GYC faces MYC in the first semi final. PYA will clash with KBSU in the second ground. |
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