Insurgency / Manipur

CHURACHANDPUR, April 22: Personnel of the 32nd Bn Border Security Force, BSF posted at Bungmual, Churachandpur have been charged of attempted kidnapping and beating up of a Churachandpur businessman following a row over soft drink price. On the evening of April 13 at about 8.45 pm seven personnel of the BSF came to Sagar Maljain's shop along the Tiddim road to buy some bottles of soft drinks and there was haggling over prices. Eyewitnesses said the BSF personnel threatened Sagar Maljain with dire consequences and took him in their custody by force after blindfolding him. However on the...

IMPHAL, April 22: The Manipur Human Rights Commission has today given the State DGP DS Grewal, 24 hours to locate the whereabouts of four persons including a woman and her son who are said to have been arrested and flown away by BSF personnel from Hengtam village under Singhat police station from Churachandpur district on April 14. This instruction was given following a complaint filed by Wareppam Manitomba of Tera Loukrakpam Leikai, Imphal. He contended that his younger brother Wareppam Shanou (36) accompanied by Maibam Ongbi Kunjabati Devi (50), her son Maibam Prakash (28) all of same...

IMPHAL, April 22: The infamous ex gratia scandal case in which some state officials including doctors and policemen have been accused of forging signatures to swindle a huge amount of ex gratia payments meant for the next of kin of those killed in separate incidents has been handed over to the CBI. However, sources said that the CBI has not yet taken up the investigation of the case formally. So far no official of the premier investigating agency of the country has come to Manipur to enquire about the case nor has the state government sent any reminder to them, it added. The case was being...

IMPHAL, April 21: United Naga Council (UNC) president KS Paul Leo was released by Kuki rebels late last night. He was abducted on Tuesday. His abductors - the Kuki National Front (Military Council) - freed him "unharmed." The exact deal for the release was not spelt out. A negotiating team led by Manipur tribal welfare minister Haokholet Kipgen camped at Keithelmanbi village in Kangpokpi subdivision last night to ensure Leo's release. Negotiators, including Church leaders, went inside the dense forest to strike a deal with the rebels at their hideout. Talks with the Kuki militants started at 9...

IMPHAL, April 21: UNC president and Naga leader, KS Paul Leo who was abducted by KNF (MC) cadres from Keithelmanbi area while he was on his way from Karong to Imphal on April 17 was released late last night after four days in captivity. With the release of the Naga leader, tension which has been shimmering all over the State, especially in Senapati district has finally cooled down putting at rest apprehension of yet another round of ethnic tension and conflagration. The abducted Naga leader reached Keithelmanbi today at about 1.30 am after his release by the militants. He was met by emissaries...

IMPHAL, April 21: The prominent Naga leader, K S Paul Leo who was in captivity of the banned Kuki National Front (Military Council) since April 17, has been finally released safe and sound today. Mention may be made here that K S Paul Leo who is the president of the United Naga Council (UNC), an apex body of the Naga tribes in Manipur, was abducted by the KNF (MC) militants on April 17 afternoon near Keithelmanbi along the National Highway-39 in Senapati district. The Naga leader, Paul, was received by a team of social activists comprising both Nagas and Kukis residing in the State at...

IMPHAL, April 20: Tribal welfare minister Haokholet Kipgen has rushed to Keithelmanbi to secure the release of United Naga Council president K.S. Paul Leo, who was abducted by the Kuki National Front (Military Council) last Tuesday. Kipgen, a Kuki, has been appointed by Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam to diffuse the crisis over Leo's abduction. Hopes for an early release of Leo emerged with the abductors toning down their demand of a complete halt in Nationalist Social Council of Nagalim's (Isak-Muivah) support to the Kuki Revolutionary Army, a rival outfit. Buckling under public pressure...

IMPHAL, April 20: The NSCN(IM) has categorically stated that it was not in any involved in the April 12 attack at Keithelmanbi that left seven Kuki villagers dead. Reacting strongly against some reports that the NSCN(IM) was behind the attack the Naga rebel group in a message faxed this evening stated that news reports which said the NSCN(IM) was behind the attack is concocted and without basis. The underground outfit also questioned the credibility of the report. The allegation is nothing but an attempt to drive a wedge amongst the Nagas and Kukis and to tarnish the image of the NSCN. Far...

IMPHAL, April 20: The Amnesty International has called for the immediate release of the president of United Naga Council (UNC), an apex body of the Naga community in Manipur, Paul Leo who was abducted by suspected Kuki militants on Tuesday. According to an Amnesty International press release which was made available to the press here, taking KS Paul Leo as their hostage by armed Kuki group on his way to Imphal is a violation of International Humanitarian Law. The statement also said that the abduction incident took place only a few days after the massacre of at least seven people belonging to...

IMPHAL, April 19: Two negotiators, including a Christian pastor, held abortive talks with the Kuki National Front (Military Council) last night to secure the release of United Naga Council (UNC) president K.S. Paul Leo. Leo was abducted by KNF (MC) militants on Tuesday from National Highway 39 near Kethelmanbi village (in Kangpokpi sub-division) to deter the Nationalist Social Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) from supporting the Kuki Revolutionary Army - a rival outfit. The KNF(MC) has, in fact, demanded that the NSCN(IM) stop propping up the KRA as a precondition to Leo's release. The...