Cops foil rally against barbaric killing

IMPHAL, Mar 2 : An attempt to hold a public rally against the brutal murder of Kasom Khullen SDO Dr Th Kishan, Mondal Y Token and driver A Rajen was foiled by police at Bishnupur today. The mass protest rally was attempted urging for befitting punishment to guilty NSCN (IM) cadres involved in the gruesome cadre and also suspended DC Pankaj Kumar Pal.The abortive mass rally was planned under the joint aegis of the United Clubs’ Organisation Bishnupur District (UCOBID) and the Apunba Lup.At about 10 am, people started assembling at the Yangoi Ningthou community hall at Bishnupur Bazar. As final arrangements for the public rally got underway at about 11 am, a team of Bishnupur police commandos arrived at the spot and declared that no assembly of any crowd would be allowed without permission from the Deputy Commissioner.The police team also asked the Meira Paibis and local club volunteers who have already congregated there to go back. The commandos also took away the mats rolled out for the crowd and mikes arranged for the protest rally. They also stayed back at the area to thwart any further attempt from the people to assemble at the community hall. After turning back from there at the insistence of police commandos, the Meira Paibis and social activists congregated at Bishnupur Thiyam Leikai ground.From there, the protesters led by volunteers of the Apunba Lup, UCOBID and United Villages and Clubs Organisation marched towards Bishnupur Bazar to submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister through the Bishnupur DC. However, they were blocked by police commandos, some distance away from Bishnupur Bazar. The commandos also snatched the festoons carried by the protesters. Yet, some four/five volunteers were allowed to proceed to the DC office to hand over their memorandum.

Relief, heartache mark curfew relaxation

IMPHAL, Feb 21: Wareda ! Curfew Ashi Loishilla-ningleda (Woe is brimful, wish the curfew is lifted).These are the soulful words that Ibechaobi, who missed the bus following re-imposition of curfew, utte- red. She was returning from selling fishes in the Khwai-ramband Market when the curfew was reimposed after being lifted from 1 pm to 3 pm today.After the 48 hours State wide bandh and general strike called by various organisations including the JAC Against the Brutal Killing of Dr Th Kishan Singh, Y Token Singh and A Rajen Sharma in protest against the killing, from 6 pm of February 17 to 6 pm of February 19, imposition of indefinite curfew by the district admi-nistration of Imphal East and West with effect from 5 pm of February 19 has caused untold miseries to many daily wage earners like Ibechaobi.A resident of Mayang Imphal in Imphal West district, Ibechaobi came to the Khwairamband Bazar to sell fishes on hearing the news of lifting the curfew from 1 pm to 3 pm today.However, at around 3.30 pm, Ibechaobi and two other women fish sellers namely Chaobisana and Sana were observed walking along the road of Wa- hengbam leikai as they missed the bus for returning home following reimposition of curfew.Two more women from Nambol selling Ngakra and Ukabi were also found wal-king down along the road of Keishampat carrying loads on their heads after missing the buses.Talking to The Sangai Express, Ibechaobi said when the cost of 1 kg of rice has reached Rs 22, inability to come to the market and sell fishes has forced her to borrow rice from the neighbour to feed her family.

Curfew still on, no sign of reprieve

IMPHAL, Feb 20: Curfew clamped in Imphal West and Imphal East districts since 5 pm yesterday as a pre-emptive measure against any possible untoward incident in the aftermath of the public outcry against the brutal murder of SDO Kishan and his two staff is still in force but there has been no report of any untoward incident till the time of filing this report.A large number of security personnel including CRPF, MR, IRB and Manipur Police are being deployed in almost every road and street of the twin capital city.Soon after the curfew was clamped at 5 pm yesterday, a number of commando teams have been going around in the two districts driving in any one who dare to venture out of their homes. Due to the curfew, all important places of Imphal East including Lamlong Keithel Kongba Keithel were totally deserted. There was no vehicular traffic on all roads and all roadside shops remained shut.In Imphal West, Khwairamband Keithel and all other market centres bore deserted looks. Barring for a very sparse vehicular movement for religious purposes and medical reasons, there was no vehicular traffic. A large number of security personnel were also seen keeping a strict vigil around Khwairamband Keithel. Few people who ventured out at Keishampat, Tiddim road, Singjamei road, Uripok road and Nagamapal road were driven back by the large number of security personnel present all along these roads.Literally, no movement of either vehicles or people was allowed during the curfew.Till late evening, commando teams continued to drive passers-by away from the roads.