Five killed in North Cachar hills

Unable to bear the grief wife of one of the victims faints

Newmai News NetworkGuwahati, Jun 3: At least five persons died while a minor was injured when unidentified gunmen, suspected to be members of the Black Widow faction of tribal Dimasa insurgent group Dima Haolam Daogah, opened indiscriminate fire on a Naga village in restive North Cachar Hills district of Assam on Wednesday.According to reports reaching here, a group of militants swooped down on Borochenam village, located around 28 Kms from district headquarters Haflong, in the wee hours of Wednesday and opened indiscriminate fire, killing five persons and injuring a minor.“All the five persons died on the spot. The minor injured in the incident was rushed to Haflong for treatment,” official sources said.As panic-stricken residents fled the village, the gunmen set their houses on fire. Fifty-four of the total 58 houses in the village were gutted, the sources said.They added that senior officials of the district administration rushed to the site to take stock of the situation while police and para military forces cordoned off the entire area and launched a search operation to nab the assailants.With this, altogether 29 persons have been killed while over 350 houses torched in the ongoing bloodbath in NC Hills. The victims were both Nagas and Dimasas. In the wake of the violence, the authorities rushed a large number of security personnel to this hill district but they could do very little apparently owing to poor road communication, lack of coordination among the various security wings and the hostile terrains.

Bandh throws normal life out of gear

IMPHAL, May 26: Normal life in Manipur remained seriously affected today following the 24-hour bandh as well as the 12-hour general strike called respectively by Pangal Students’ Organisation (PSO) and Manipur University Students’ Union (MUSU) in protest against the killing of Proctor of Manipur University Prof Md Islamuddin.Stray incidents of violence in which at least one person was injured while scores of vehicles damaged have also been received from different parts of the State.Since early morning, a large number of people came out to enforce the bandh along National Highway 39 in between Mantripukhri and Lei-Ingkhol along with erecting road barricades and scattering of broken glass pieces to prevent movement of vehicles.Armed with sticks and slings, they also prevented any person from venturing out while the windscreens of vehicles plying in defiance of the bandh were smashed.At Minuthong Hatta, bandh supporters burnt tyres and erecting road blockade with bamboos and woods to enforce the bandh. They were also armed with sticks and slings to attack any person or vehicle plying in defiance of the bandh.At Top Khongnangkhong where barricade was erected near the bridge, suspected bandh supporters damaged an autorickshaw. They also shouted slogans decrying killing of innocent people.At Lilong, where the bandh was total, suspected bandh supports set on fir a tourist bus (MN01-1242) in the afternoon.

Non-local shot at, hurt

IMPHAL, Mar 20 : After three non-local labourers have been shot dead sometime back at different places in Imphal, unidentified persons shot another non-local labourer and injured him.The injured victim is identified as Pramo Yadav (30) s/o Ganesh of Shyampur, Bihar but staying at Thangmeiband, informed a police source.A carpenter by vocation, Pramo Yadav was working at Lamphel Super Market, opposite to MACS office when he was shot by one unidentified youth at about 9 am today.A bullet grazed through the left side of his chest.Quoting Pramo, the police source said that three rounds of bullet were shot at Pramo. While two rounds got missed, the third round grazed through his chest. He was given first aid at RIMS.This is the fourth incident of targeting migrant la-bourers this yearafter one non-local barber was shot dead at Sagolband on February 28 followed by the killing of one sugar-cane juice hawker at Kwakeithel and another porter at Chingamakhog on March 1. Victim succumbs : After more than 3 months of undergoing treatment, a 24-year old youth who was shot at his neck by unidentified armed persons succumbed to the injuries.The victim identified as Md Tomei alias Nashir Khan (24) of Khelakhong Mayai Leikai was admitted to the Shija Hospitals and Research Institute after being shot on his neck by some unidentified armed persons at a place called Jabar Salam, located not far from his house on the night of November 30 last year. Tomei succumbed to the injuries yesterday after more than 3 months of treatment. His body has been handed over to the family members after post-mortem examination at the mortuary of RIMS Hospital today.

Security stepped up

IMPHAL, Mar 2: Following the incident of killing migrant workers over the last couple of days, security measures have been stepped up in Imphal, East, Imphal West, Bishnupur and Thoubal districts. According to sources from Imphal West District Police, evacuation of migrant workers from different parts of the district has begun and keeping them together at Dharmashalla and the complex of Imphal Police started. Apart from stepping up security measures at places where the migrant workers resided, they have also been advised against going to far off places for work. According to information received by the press, in all 86 migrant workers are staying in Dharmashalla where the DC and the SP of the district visited today to inspect the accommodation arrangement being made for them. The meals for the migrant workers evacuated at Dharmashalla are being arranged by the Imphal Bazar Board. In Imphal East too, besides stepping up patrolling of the security personnel, migrant workers have been dissuaded from going far in search of work. Even as security alert has been sounded in all the police stations in Bishnupur district, the Thoubal police have also toed the line in putting in necessary security arrangement. Meanwhile, the bodies of barber Suresh Thakur who was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at Sagolband on February 28 and sugarcane juice seller Rajkumar Choudhury who was shot dead at Kwakeithel yesterday have been handed over to his family members today after post-mortem examination at the mortuary of RIMS Hospital.

Highwaymen loot bus, stone another

IMPHAL, Mar 2: Unidentified armed persons looted the driver of an Imphal-bound passenger bus at gun-point near Chumukedia in Nagaland today even as another passenger bus was pelted with stones by unidentified miscreants smashing its wind shield at Tadubi yesterday.According to information received by the press, the passenger bus ‘Rajdhani Express’ bearing registration no. MN01-1635 was coming from Guwahati when the unidentified armed persons looted Rs 9,700 from the bus driver and helpers at gun point at a spot known as Half Mile along National Highway 39 and falling under the jurisdiction of Chumukedia Police Station in Dimapur district of Nagaland at around 3 am today. The passenger bus left Guwahati for Imphal around 4 pm yesterday.The looters were clad in civilian dresses but armed with AK-Rifles and carbine.While two of them holding AK-Rifles were standing on guard on either sides of the road, one who was holding a carbine stood in front of the road and stopped the bus.As soon as the bus stopped, one of the armed persons climbed up and demanded the driver to pay Rs 5000 while pointing the gun at him. The armed person also asked the driver to arrange the money from among the passengers if he (the driver) did not have the demanded amount in his possession.While taking amount the demanded money from the pocket, the armed snatched the entire amount, i.e. Rs 9,700. The looters also slapped the handyman of the bus on his face twice.After the incident, a report had been lodged with the Nezugate police check post and subsequent to the message of the report given to the Chumukedima Police Station by the Nagaland police personnel present at the Nezugate check post, the driver was taken to the police station for recording his statement. Perhaps, as a consequent of the message relayed by the police station, the ill-fated passenger bus which arrived here at around 3 pm today had not been stopped by any check post for entry all along its returning journey.However, the State police have maintained that no report of looting the passenger bus has been received.It may be recalled here that similar incident of looting 10 passenger buses coming to Imphal from Nagaland by unidentified armed persons at around 4.30 am of February 15 had been reported by this paper.Meanwhile, a bus of the Mega Tours and Travels bearing registration no. MN01-1075 reportedly suffered damaged when uniden- tified miscreants pelted stone at Tadubi in Senapati at around 4 am yesterday.According to information received from the ticketing counter of the travel agency here, the wind shields of the bus have been damaged in the attack which occurred while coming to Imphal from Mao.

Two more non-local men shot dead in Imp

IMPHAL, Mar 1: hardly 24 hours after a non-Manipuri barber was shot dead at Sagolband area, unidentified gunmen shot dead two non-locals today including a sugarcane juice seller in broad daylight at Kwakeithel Bazar and a porter at about 7.50 pm at Chinga Makha Phura Makhong.According to police, the Kwakeithel incident took place at about 12.10 pm with the assailant opening fire from point blank range while the non-local was taking shelter under a roadside tree with his hand-cart stationed nearby.The deceased is identified as one Rajkumar Choudhury (18) s/o Ramnath from Bihar’s Buxar district but staying at a rented quarter along with his uncle in Kwakeithel Akham Leikai. Quoting eyewitnesses, a police source informed that three persons, including the driver came in an auto -rickshaw with one person out of two alighting from the passenger seat with a small arm and shooting Rajkumar on the head.While Rajkumar died on the spot the assailants after committing the crime, fled from the scene in the same autorickshaw towards the Kwakeithel-Sayang road.A commando team reportedly arrived at the scene soon after and trailed the perpetrators but there is no information of any arrest in connection with the killing.The victim of the second incident is yet to be officially identified but is expected to be one Sarajeevan (40) of Bihar. According to reports the assailant/s broke open the gate of the house and came in calling out for one Joker Bhaiya. The victim was found shot dead on his bed with two bullet wounds in the rented room which he shared with Joker Bhaiya (Shyam Shankar) and another identified as Sushil. Shyam Shankar is a cart puller while Sushil is also a porter. The landlord is identified as as Pukhrambam Mema. According to SSP (Imphal West) L Kailun security measures have been beefed up at many Imphal district areas where non-locals reside. Subsequently police patrolling have been increased and security personnel have been directed to maintain vigil at outlying areas of the capital city, the SSP said while disclosing that section of non-Manipuri traders and public leaders expressed their concern on the recent spurt in criminal activities against non-locals.Meanwhile, members of the manipur Barber Association staged a protest demonstration at Rup Mahal Tank of BT Road today in denunciation of the killing of a barber (Suresh Thakur) at Sagolband Bijoy Govinda area yesterday.

Murdered SDO`s wife demands criminal proceedings against Ukhrul DC and SP; JAC says dead bodies not to be taken till demands met

IMPHAL, Feb 20: The wife of the late Dr. Th Kishan, SDO Kasom Khullen, Romita Devi has asked the state government to undertake criminal proceedings against the superintendent of police and deputy commissioner of Ukhrul district instead of only suspending them. She has also asked the authorities to use the ex-gratia of Rs. 10 lakhs provided to her in finding out the culprits.The statement was given at a joint meeting of the Apunba Lup and the JAC formed in the matter, held today at Yumnam Leikai. She further said that the DC Ukhrul was involved in the killing as the meeting on February 13 was called by him, and her husband along with the other officials were taken captive by the NSCN(IM) just after the meeting ended at the DC office complex.She also said that it was very unfortunate that the DC Ukhrul did not inform anyone and kept silent even after the abduction took place in front of him.She also stated that when her husband was alive, the DC Ukhrul used to mingle with the NSCN(IM) officials frequently and had a link with them. The DC even joined in the work of distribution of rice at schools which was undertaken under the control of the NSCN(IM), she added while terming the DC as an selfish person. She further charged that the murder plot was hatched by the DC himself.Regarding the ex-gratia, she said that by receiving some money from the authorities she would not keep quite, while asking the government to use the ex-gratia amount in finding out the culprits involved in the killing of her husband.S Subhankar, convener of the JAC expressed that when they enquired about the whereabouts of the SDO and his companions, they found that the SDC headquarter, Ukhrul had heard the news of their abduction already on February 16. He asked what the security personnel were doing till then.He also strongly condemned the incident in which security personnel fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the relatives and locals staying at the house of late Dr. Kishan, as is customary till the shradha ceremony is held, resulting in injuries to his brother.The meeting took a number of resolutions which were submitted to the chief minister leter. The resolutions include demands for taking up of criminal proceedings against the DC and SP of Ukhrul instead of only suspending them; release of the three missing officials unharmed; protection for the officials posted in hill areas; suspension of the police personnel involved in firing tear gas at the house of late Dr. Kishan within 24 hours; submission of a report to the Union ministry of home affairs on the violation of the ground rules by NSCN(IM) which is under ceasefire with the government of India and announcement of the proceedings of the MHA to the public; decision on a place for the joint cremation of the three deceased persons; disallowing of any base camp of the NSCN(IM) in Manipur; explanation to the public regarding the silence of the security personnel at Ukhrul district and allowing of erection of a memorial stone each at the premises of the DC office complex at Ukhrul, near Lukhrabi bridge in Senapati district and at the SDO office in Kasom Khullen.