north east

Imphal: A 38-year-old Meitei man was abducted and shot dead in Manipur’s Churachandpur district late Wednesday night, allegedly by members of a banned Kuki militant group. The killing has once again disrupted the fragile calm in the state, which has witnessed prolonged ethnic violence since May 2023. The victim has been identified as Meiyanglambam Rishi Kanta, a resident of Kakching district. He was living in Kuki-dominated Churachandpur with his wife Chingnu Haokip, who belongs to the Kuki community. Officials said armed cadres of the United Kuki National Army (UKNA) kidnapped the couple from Tuibuong area and took them to Natzang. According to the wife’s statement, she was forcibly pushed out of a vehicle before her husband was shot dead, despite his repeated pleas for mercy. Polic...

Delhi: Members of the Meitei community staged a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, demanding the government take immediate action to return people displaced by ethnic violence in Manipur to their homes. Protesters said the government has failed to adequately address the situation and ensure the safe return of those forced to leave their homes. A woman, whose house in Churachandpur was destroyed during the violence, shared her ordeal. She said she had to flee her home abruptly, leaving behind all her belongings, while she was undergoing training to become a cabin crew member. She added that her passport verification has been delayed by the local police, who claim her house no longer exists at the registered address. “Everyone knows our homes were burned, yet we cannot return. No one is he...

Imphal, Manipur: President Droupadi Murmu, on a two-day visit to Manipur, emphasized that the state’s strength lies in its diversity. Addressing the people on Friday, she said the division between the hills and valleys is not beneficial for Manipur and called for greater harmony between the regions. Speaking at an event in Senapati district, about 60 km from Imphal, President Murmu said, “The hills and the valley have always complemented each other. They are like two sides of the same beautiful land. Manipur’s strength is reflected in its diversity—its cultures, languages, and traditions.” She urged all communities to continue supporting peace, understanding, and reconciliation in the state. First Visit Since February’s President Rule Manipur has been under President’s rule since ...

Aizawl: In a rare and remarkable incident during the Lai Autonomous District Council (LADC) elections held on December 3, a single eligible voter in the remote village of Hamawngbuchhuah exercised his franchise through a postal ballot to safeguard his vote’s secrecy. The lone voter, Lalsangbera, refused to cast his vote via Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), as doing so would have revealed his choice during counting—EVMs display the total votes polled for each candidate at a booth, making it easy to infer his preference in a single-voter scenario. Election Team Travels 40 km for One Ballot Longtlai Deputy Commissioner Donny Lalroatsanga informed that a dedicated polling team—including Nodal Officer Lalnunpuia and security personnel—travelled nearly 40 km from Longtlai town to the vi...