Day: July 23, 2017

IMPHAL | July 23

The body of an unidentified man was found death at Lilong Tairen Makhong Leihingol, which is under the jurisdiction of Lilong police today.The body is kept in JNIMS morgue.

Another man was found death at Khundrakpam Anganwadi Centre under the jurisdiction of Heingang police yesterday.

The man was identified as Kh. Ranjit (31) son of Kh. Amu from Khundrakpam and he is currently staying at his wife’s house at Waiton Mayai Leikai.

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | July 23

The two youths, who saved father and son from drowning in Nambul river on July 19 in a road accident have been rewarded by Marina Spring package drinking water company today at its head office at Moirangkhom today.

The duo are Mutum Nanao (23) son of M. Sarat from Khonghampat Mayai leikai and Keisham Sunder (32) son of K. Baruni from Kongba Khetri leikai.

Speaking to the media, proprietor of Marina Spring, Khagemba Sanabam said the reward is given to the two brave hearts for praising their bravery and heroic actions. “Besides education certificates the two have achieved social certificates which will add more in their quality,” he added.

If such deeds start developing in public then a well and organised society will come up in the state, Khagemba stated.

According to Nanao, he was at hump bridge when the car fell into the river. He rushed to the spot but people who were near to the incident were not taking initiative to save thse inside the car.

“Instead people were filming the incident with their cell phones. At the very moment without thinking a thought he jumped into the river and while trying to reach the car Seram Ramajit from Nongmeibung Seram Leikai came out from the window of the car. Ramajit shouted his son is trapped at the back seat,” Nanao recalled.

Nanao said, he swam towards the car and pulled out Chingkheinganba (3 years and 4 months) from the back seat of the car. When he pulled out Chingkheinganba, the child was unconscious having pale lips. He was brought to back to the bank and after giving first aid the child was saved, Nanao narrated.

Nanao urged the people to stop the habit of making films recording incidents instead of saving life and if people nearby rushed to save before him then condition of the child would not be worse.

Nanao is a registered football player and now he is playing super division under Northern Crown footbabll club, Khonghampat. And Keisham Sunder is doing passenger service with his diesel auto.

For the heroic deeds of Nanao and Sunder proprietor of Marina Spring package drinking water rewarded both with Rs. 10 thousand and a relevant job in the company.

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | July 23

The top prize ‘German Star of India’ of Stuttgart’s 14th Indian Film Festival, Germany was given to Loktak Lairembi (Lady of the Lake), directed by Haobam Paban Kumar and the film has become a bestowed film prize amongst Indian filmmakers.

The award recognised the best Indian feature film, along with a cheque of 4,000 Euros sponsored by the main festival sponsor, the entrepreneur from Stuttgart and honourary consul of the Republic of India for Baden-Wu¨rttemberg and Rheinland-Pfalz.

Haobam Paban Kumar’s debut feature film Loktak Lairembi was world premiered at the Asian new current section of the prestigious 21st Busan International Film Festival 2016 and had its European screening at the 67th Berlin Film Festival 2017.

It has travelled to numerous film festivals and has won more than ten awards including the Best Environment Film at the 64th National Film Awards this year.

The film is based on the short story ‘Nongmei’ by Sudhir Naoroibam. It is about Tomba, a depressed fisherman who gets a gun accidentally and marvels with the gun as his power of self-protection.

He transforms himself to an assertive man who began to believe that the gun would solve all his problems.

Paban Kumar created an ethnographic thriller with his debut feature film. It is at Loktak Lake, a scenic paradise in the north-east of India, where extreme beauty meets extreme violence. The 14th edition represented a current cross section and mirror of the Indian society with 40 films.

The festival which was held from July 19 to July 23 July concluded last night with the award ceremony and it took the audience to a five-day journey of modern day Indian cinema. The festival opened with the comedy ‘Newton’ and the German premiere of ‘Lipstick under my Burkha’.

IMPHAL | July 23

The Thadou Students’ Association, Chandel has expressed strong condemnations against the murder of Nengneingah Khongsai (18), who was shot dead by an alleged KNO/KNA cadre identified as Seikhosat Haokip alias Sasat Haokip at Moreh at around 4. 30 am today.

The culprit should be given befitting punishment for killing a civilian member of the community as per law of the land, said a release. The government must also arrest the perpetrators involved in the murder of Jamkholal Zou, whose justice is still not delivered, it said adding the organisation condemns the incident of July 20, wherein it was alleged that Jangthang Mate was forcibly whisked away from his home at around 11 pm by armed KNO cadres and threatened him on some election-related matter as Jangthang supported BJP candidate in this year’s MLA election. 

The government must rein in SoO groups as well as non-SoO armed groups from engaging in terror activities for the sake of peace, security and development, it further said. We appeal to the government to remove cadres of different rank and file of KNO/KNA from Moreh to permanently install peace and tranquillity and build confidence in the mind of citizen of Moreh that such barbaric acts do not occur in the future again, it added.

Kuki Women Human Rights, Chandel district also strongly condemned the murder of Nengneingah Khongsai. In a release it urged the concerned authority to investigate the case and give befitting punishment to all involved in the crime, so that such crime is not committed again.

IMPHAL | July 23

The executive committee of state BJP today resolved to safeguard the territorial integrity of Manipur.

“The the state executive meeting of BJP took a firm stand to keep intake the territorial integrity of the state and to provide the necessary service to the needy and weaker people,” chief minister N. Biren Singh announced.

 “As opposed to the rumours that NPF ministers will break the unity of the state, the ministers of NPF are now standing for the unity of the state. This is one of the greatest achievements made by BJP. The previous governments aren’t able to do what we have done in just few months after forming the government,” said Biren.

He ridiculed the member who raised the question in the Assembly session yesterday about what BJP will be able to do in 15 months that the previous government hadn’t done in 15 years.

Biren said the member must understand that the achievement of the government is not just building bridges but creating oneness and the sense of the belongingness among the people irrespective of race is the milestone itself of a government.

The chief minister gave credit to the fellow members for executing the responsibilities without compromising so as the government can create the face of “government for people.”

The meeting was attended by MP Kshetrimayum Bhabananda Singh, works minister Thongam Biswajit , MP Prahlad Patel and founder members of BJP.

From Our Correspondent

MOREH | July 23

A 13 years old girl was shot dead allegedly by a Kuki National Army (KNA) cadre at Moreh Ward No.1 at around 5 am today.

The deceased girl was a class IX student of Mt Moreh Public School, Canan Veng and she has been identified as Nengneingah Khongsai, daughter of Letthang Khongsai of Thingphai village, currently resided at her uncle’s place at Gilgal Veng.

The accused has been arrested he has claimed himself to be the boyfriend of the girl and he has been identified as Seikhosat Haokip alias Sasat Haokip, son of Thanglet Haokip of Chavanhphai, Moreh. He is said to be a cadre of Kuki Natinal Army who was deputed as a personnel bodyguard of a KNA leader. A country made 9mm pistol and three rounds of ammunition were recovered from him by the police.

While the police tried to take the culprit to Imphal, a mob of locals had an altercation with the police demanding to handover the culprit to public and an immediate bandh was called by the public around 11 am. Later, SP of Tengnoupal, S. Ibomcha had a talk with the public and controlled the situation to take the culprit to Imphal.

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | July 23

Kumbi Government High School students threatened to boycott the coming half yearly examination which is going to commence from tomorrow if the government fails to revoke the transfer order of the school headmaster and three teachers.

Addressing a press meet today at Manipur Press Club, Imphal the game and sport secretary of school student’s association, Seram Suresh Meetei said that the students welcome the seven teachers who are newly transferred to the schools.

But they strongly condemned the transfer of their headmaster and three teachers, he added.

He said that the students association does not want the new headmaster as their head master as he has not taken up any developmental works when he was the headmaster of the school earlier.

The secretary said that the school has improved a lot during the time of their headmaster who was transferred recently. “Mid-day meal and computer facilities were made available to the students as well as maintained the academic routine properly,” he added.

For the welfare of the students and the school he appealed to the government to revoke the transfer order of their headmaster and three teachers.

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | July 23

The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president, T. N. Haokip today accused the BJP of playing “dirty political conspiracy” against him and the Congress party by intentionally putting up his poster with BJP symbol along with posters of BJP leaders and uploading wrong information of him on the internet that he would be joining the BJP.

Haokip told a press conference that he will seek legal help besides filing a complaint with the police cyber crime unit in connection with the incident.

Briefing media persons in this regards at Congress Bhavan, Haokip said the incident was an attempt to tarnish his political image and also defame the Congress before terming it as unfortunate.

“The BJP is not only targeting me but the entire Congress party in the country particularly the MPCC”,” he charged.

He maintained that the entire episode leading to the controversy surrounding him in the internet was intentionally device by the BJP.

The very idea behind igniting the controversy was to create confusion amongst the public, which the BJP is good at, alleged Haokip.

Nevertheless, the senior Congress legislator showing his firm commitment with his party, said that his integrity was not up for sale.

According to him he had overcome many temptations since he was first elected with Congress ticket in 2002.

Haokip claimed that he had not only refused huge amount of money but also leadership offered to him in the past by the BJP adding that former chief minister of Manipur R. K. Dorendro is the living proof.

“There are always ups and downs in politics and I have had enough experience. After what I have gone through I have committed myself that I will be with Congress as long as I am in politics”, said the MPCC president.

Responding to clarification made by Sharma Enterprise owning the responsibility of the error committed, Haokip said, “The damage has already been done”.

Stating that the Congress party is very much alive, he warned that the Cogress will toughen its stand against the BJP after the ongoing Assembly session is over.

“The longer the BJP stays in power the more the damage to Manipuri society”, said Haokip.

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | July 23

Manipur today woke up to a political ruckus involving MPCC president T. N. Haokip. A street campaign poster of the BJP prominently featured a picture of he Congress president.

When a picture of the poster was uploaded in a social media status update of the senior politician of the Congress, it went viral.

The poster of the veteran Congressman in the BJP poster was displayed along busy Kangla park road right in the heart of Imphal city.

The photo which was uploaded early in the morning from an unknown source caught more attention and went viral by the seconds as it stated that Haokip is likely to join the BJP fold.

The upload on a Whatsapp group said “President of MPCC, MLA TN Haokip has unofficially joined BJP. His joining the party may be officially announced today either before or after the executive committee meeting of the BJP Manipur Pradesh scheduled to be held at 11 am today. BJP’s national leaders like Ram Madhav Prahlad Singh Patel and one more, whose name I cannot remember at this moment, will attend the meeting”.

The poster in question was displayed on the median of the road along with the photos of other key functionaries of the BJP including the chief minister, N Biren Singh.

The photos were displayed in connection with the executive committee meeting of the BJP convened today at the Classic Grande, Chingmeirong.

The poster was put on display since early morning today as a preparation for the executive committee meeting.

When IFP contacted BJP, the party denied any hand in the arrangement and informed that the poster was a mistake committed by one Sharma Enterprise, Wangkhei.

The clarification said the enterprise was reportedly engaged in the printing of hoardings and posters of the party, and that the party had nothing to do with the bizarre poster blunder.

The controversial poster was later removed and replaced with the poster of the Speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly, Y. Khemchand.

When the mistake caught the attention of Sharma Enterprises, the firm uploaded a clarification through social networking sites apologizing for the mistake and that it (the enterprise) will bear all the responsibility.

Further in response to the development, the BJP issued a statement informing that the contract between Sharma Enterprises and the BJP has been cancelled.

The statement issued by K. Saratkumar Singh, general secretary (Administration) BJP, Manipur Pradesh, said, “For reasons of false printing and erection of hoarding, your contract with the BJP Manipur Pradesh stands cancelled. “Any resultant consequences regarding the matter shall be solely borne by your firm and the BJP Manipur Pradesh will not be responsible for it.”

Sharma Enterprises in a press released tender its apology to both BJP and Congress for committing the photo mistake.

The release signed by B. Peter Sharma said the enterprises will shoulder all the consequences of the mistake.

However, the Congress party Manipur alleged the political development as a “dirty political conspiracy” against the party (Congress) device by the BJP.

IMPHAL| July 23

All Manipur Students Union (AMSU) has informed that the government should not take lightly of the present situation where students are coming out at the streets to protest against the ongoing transfer of teachers.

A release said the transferring of teachers during middle of ongoing academic sessions is a direct act of disrupting the academic atmosphere of the students. The students have come out to protest as the government have plotted a scheme to make it happened, it further alleged.

The union has also inquired why no FIR is registered against the police personnel who have caused physical injuries to the students. It also alleged that the students who were protesting in peaceful and democratic manners were provoked to become aggressive after the police fired tear gas shells upon them.

The union has appealed the government to stop discriminating the students and requested to cancel the FIRs lodged upon the students otherwise it may cause massive upheavals, it added.