Security tightened in Manipur after attacks on Congress offices

Imphal, Mar 1  : In the aftermath of the bomb attacks on the Congress offices of Nambol, Thoubal and Imphal East on Thursday night, security have been tightened up in the areas especially with the police commandos conducting mobile patrolling.

Informing of this security check, Th. Radheshyam, superintendent of the Imphal East police maintained that with the elimination of two cadres of the Kangleipak Communist Party-Military Council (KCP-MC) Lanheiba group working under the fourth command unit of special demo team, the security forces would be able to prevent more of such attacks on Congress offices in different part of the state.

The KCP (MC) in press note had claimed responsibility on the attacks of the Congress offices with a hand grenade. Besides this, it is worth noting here that the outfit in a press note informed that the outfit would start a “Red Fox” operation to wipe out dirty politics of India and added that a command each have been set up in the four valley districts of the state.

Regarding the killing of the two KCP (MC) cadres, the SP informed that on receiving specific information about the movement of persons with arms at Lamlong Bazaar in Imphal East at about 7 pm on Friday night, the police commandos rushed to the spot and in the encounter that ensued two of the cadres were gunned down. An AK 56 rifle, a .3 pistol, a Chinese hand grenade along with a note book containing the plans to attack the Congress offices and Congress candidates were found from their possession, informed the SP Radheshyam.

The decease have been identified by their family members as A. Jadumani, 35, of Maiba Khul and L. Sicond alias Kenny, 32, of Thamnapokpi in Imphal East district. Their bodies have been taken by their families for the last rites from the mortuary of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) after a post mortem.

Meanwhile, a combined team of the Imphal East police commandos and 28 AR also gunned down a cadre of the People’s United Liberation Front (PULF), Azad group at Keirang under Irilbung in Imphal East Friday evening at about 6:15. The forces recovered a mouser 9mm along with 15 (fifteen) live rounds.

According to sources, the decease has also been identified by family members as Syed Unao Ali, 30, of Khetri Yambi in Imphal East

Thoubal wins polo Championsip

Imphal: Thoubal District Polo Association lifted the champion’s trophy defeating Chingkhei Hunba Polo Club (A) 6-1 in the final of the 26th Manipur State Level Polo Tournament at Imphal Polo ground here on Monday, says our sports correspondent.The Thoubal riders showed their grit from the very first chukker, striking home four goals. Chingkhei Hunba, however, came up with a goal in the second chukker.The third chukker saw Thoubal strike home two more goals to seal the proceedings.

Course

Imphal: A 15-day residential AFC ‘C’ Coaching Certificate Course commenced at the Vision India Project Manipur office at Khuman Lampak Sports Complex on Monday. Twenty-two participants, including two from Sikkim, one from Assam, one from Delhi and 18 from Manipur are attending the course.

Tiddim prevail

Imphal: Tiddim Road Unique Gamy Players Union defeated Youth Welfare Club, Thambalkhong, by 2-1 goals in a match of the 3rd Manipur State League played at Eastern Sporting Union, Wangkhei ground, on Monday. In another league match today, United Sporting Association overpowered New Lamka Youth Club by 4-1 goals.

One shot dead, two bodies found

Imphal, Feb 8 : A suspected KYKL activist has been gunned down by Thoubal police commandos while two bullet riddled bodies were recovered from a paddy field alongside an inter-village road in between Phumlou and Lairenkabi this morning with one of the deceased identified by family members later today.

According to a statement issued by SP (Thoubal) Clay Khongsai, a team of district police commandos rushed to Phundrei Langathel at about 3 pm today to conduct operation following on information regarding movement of KYKL cadres in the specified area.

About 30 minutes later when the commandos were inching towards langathel Phundrei hill 2/3 youths opened fire resulting in a brief encounter during which one got killed and others managed to escape towards the hill.

Subsequent search of the encounter spot yielded in the recovery of one 9 mm pistol and a magazine with two live rounds from near the body of the slain militant, the SP added.

On the otherhand, bodies where the two persons were found falls within the jurisdiction of Lamshang police station in Imphal West district.

According to police report, the victims were found at around 6.30 am today with their hands tied behind and one fatal wound each on the heads.

Police speculate both might have been shot in the night.

Family members identified one of the deceased as Loitongbam Angelo (33) s/o L Rajen of Konjengbam Leikai who also used to stay at Mongshangei and Yurembam.

Informing that Angelo's original birthplace was Konjengbam Leikai but stayed at his mother's maternal home in Mongshangei after separation of his parents, the family members who identified the deceased at RIMS morgue today further said Angelo used to frequent to his wife's place in Yurembam as well as his aunty's at Chirang.

They also quoted eyewitnesses as saying that Angelo was whisked away by some unidentified persons at around 8 pm yesterday from Koutruk area where he had gone to watch a religious programme (lai haraoba) .

An insurance agent, who was also involved in contract works, Angelo is survived by his wife and three daughters.

The other victim is clad in a blue colour jeans, black jacket, T-shirt with red-black stripes and wore a chappal.

Lamshang police have registered a case on the matter.

In the meantime, official measures have been taken for disposal of a body awaiting identification at RIMS morgue.

A statement issued today by Officer in-charge of Moreh Station said the body would be disposed off in case the same is not identified/claimed by tomorrow.

The corpse was among two suspected underground activists slain by troops of 29 AAR at Leibi village of Chandel district on January 30 night.

Combined force kills three UGs

Imphal, Jan 11 : TWO CADRES of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and one cadre of the People's United Libereation Front (PULF) have been gunned down by the Thoubal police commandos and combined security force in two separate alleged encounters.

The first encounter occurred at the Buffalo Farm junction near Kharungpat in Thoubal district on Saturday afternoon.

The police commandos also arrested a cadre of the People's United Liberation Front (PULF) on Thursday morning from Phundrei village in Thoubal district.

A press statement issued by Clay Khongsai, IPS, Superintendent of Thoubal district police informed that on receipt of specific information of the presence of PLA cadres on the axis of Sekmaijin, Wabagai and Keirak, the police commandos were pressed into service to pre-empt any subversive activity by the militants.

And in the eventual shootout that followed two of the cadres were gunned down while the others managed to escape, stated the SP and informed that the shootout lasted for about 15 minutes.

The forces also recovered three AK 56 rifles along with five magazines, 40 rounds of live AK ammunitions, two pressure bombs and a bag, stated the press statement.

However, a different source informed that the two persons were arrested by the Thoubal district police commandos from Thoubal Ningombam area.

On being interrogated, they had disclosed the spot where a lot of arms and ammunitions were concealed.

Among the arms and ammunitions recovered by the police included seven AK rifles, two lethode guns, 1,500 live rounds of AK rifles and some pacer bombs, the source said.

The Thoubal police commandos also arrested a cadre of PULF on Thursday morning from Phundrei village in Thoubal district during frisking and checking, stated the press statement of the SP made available today.

The cadre has been identified as Bogimayum Ramijuddin, 25, s/o Amubi of Irong Makha Leikai, Thoubal district.

In another incident, a combined force of Imphal west district police commandos and 32 AR shot dead a suspected PULF activist in an alleged encounter that took place around 8.30 pm today at Shamurou Awang Leikai on the Imphal river bank within the jurisdiction of Wanggoi police station.

The combined force allegedly recovered one 9mm pistol along with a magazine containing four live rounds.

The body has been taken to the RIMS morgue for identification and post mortem.

Residents seek aid for Thoubal victim’s kin

Imphal, Jan 7 : The residents of Wangjing in Thoubal district today submitted a memorandum to chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, demanding ex gratia and a government job to the family of Khangembam Priyokumar Singh.

A team of police and the army gunned down Priyokumar and his friend Sorokhaibam Nehru at Ishok in Bishnupur district on December 4 evening.

The police said the two were killed in an encounter and claimed to have recovered a pistol and a hand grenade from them.

The families of both the victims claimed that the two, who were contractors, were innocent and allegedly killed in custody.

While Priyokumar was from Wangjing, Nehru was a resident of Charangpat in the same district.

The residents of Wangjing today formed a joint action committee and came to Imphal to meet the chief minister.

As Ibobi Singh is in Delhi, the action committee left a memorandum addressed to the chief minister with local MLA M. Hemanta Singh, who is staying at the Babupara VIP colony here.

The MLA assured the committee that he would hand over the memorandum to the chief minister when he returned from Delhi.

The committee demanded ex gratia for the next of kin and a government job for Pushpa, the widow of Priyokumar and mother of a minor boy.

“Priyokumar left on December 4 morning with Nehru to visit Leishangthem. We suspected that they were arrested on their way to Leishangthem in Thoubal district and killed after torture. His body bore marks of torture,” the victim’s elder sister, Sunibala Devi, said.

Loan waiver

The Assam government is contemplating waiving loans taken by unemployed youths to set up poultry farms that were affected by the recent outbreak of bird flu. Over 5.9 lakh hens and ducks have been culled so far.

Fingerprints: Dispur on Tuesday said it would obtain fingerprints and photographs of foreigners entering the state with authorised passports and visas through immigration checkposts.

The procedure will also be followed for those declared as foreigners by the foreigners’ tribunals.

The state government has authorised police officials entrusted with detection and deportation responsibilities to begin the procedure.