Author name: OnlineAge

IMPHAL : Thousands of women on Wednesday staged multiple sit-in protests across Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur demanding the immediate release of six men held hostage by suspected Kuki militants. In the Senapati district headquarters, normal life was affected as markets remained closed and commercial transport was off the roads in view of the protests. Demonstrators raised slogans demanding justice and held placards that read “Hostages must be released; Kuki militants, stop kidnapping”. Naga Women’s Union president Priscilla Thiumai told reporters, “We want to send a clear message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that his government must give justice and bring back the hostages at the earliest without any harm.” “The culprits should be arrested and brought to book immediately. Such acts by Kuki militants, who are observing the Suspension of Operations pact with the Centre, have become a norm. This is not acceptable. We appeal to the Centre to abrogate the SoO pact with the Kuki militants,” she said. Hundreds of women also staged similar protests in Ukhrul, Chandel, Tamenglong and Noney to express solidarity with the families of the missing persons and urge the government to ensure their safe return. More than 38 people were abducted and held hostage by armed groups in Kangpokpi and Senapati districts on May 13, hours after three church leaders were killed in an ambush in Kangpokpi district. Of them, 31 people have been released, including 12 Naga women from Konsakhul village and 16 Kukis from Kangpokpi district. Two Salesian brothers were also released. Six Naga men, however, continued to be held hostage and their whereabouts are not yet known. Kuki Inpi Manipur, the apex body of the Kuki tribes in the state, also claimed that 14 people from the community continued to be held hostage by Naga groups. (Source: PTI)    

IMPHAL : Security forces have been conducting search operations in the interior hill terrains of the Kangpokpi district in search of people still held hostage by armed groups, police said on Wednesday. Sniffer dogs have also been deployed for the operation, an official said. “Combing and search operations are being continued by security forces to rescue the missing persons in the hill ranges surrounding Leilon Vaiphei, Songtun, Khunkho and P Molding villages of Kangpokpi district,” police said in a statement. More than 38 people were abducted and held hostage by armed groups in Kangpokpi and Senapati districts on May 13, hours after three church leaders were shot dead in an ambush in Kangpokpi. Thirty-one of them have already been released, officials said. On Tuesday, a Liangmai Naga community leader met with Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh and said that even if the missing people are dead, their bodies should be handed over to their families. On the other hand, Kuki Inpi-Manipur, the apex body of the Kuki tribes in the state, claimed 14 people from the community have been held hostage by Naga groups. (Source: PTI)      

GUWAHATI : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday claimed the Congress-led opposition paid the price for “politicising” musician Zubeen Garg’s death in the Assembly polls as they were rejected by the people. He visited Garg’s cremation ground, ‘Zubeen Khetra’ at Kamarakuchi in Sonapur on the outskirts of Guwahati to pay tribute to the musician who died in Singapore on September 19 last year while swimming in the sea. The 52-year-old singer had gone to the Southeast Asian nation to perform in the 4th edition of the festival. Sarma stressed that there should be no politics in the name of Zubeen Garg. “As promised, after the dust of the elections settled, I visited the site today purely as a tribute to someone who, for us, is evergreen. He was never a matter of politics, but an emotion that lives in every heart,” the chief minister said. He also claimed that politicising the unfortunate death of Garg backfired on the Congress-led opposition during the recently concluded Assembly elections. “Some of them have stopped invoking his name as soon as polls got over, and those who came to his shrine had no knowledge of Zubeen when he was alive,” the CM said. “Zubeen was, is and will always remain my favourite! Today, at Zubeen Khetra, I paid my tributes to Assam’s eternal heartthrob and reviewed the progress of the development work underway, an effort that will stand as a fitting tribute to his enduring legacy,” Sarma told reporters. The Congress and its allies had criticised the Assam government during election campaigns over the alleged delay in setting up the fast-track court in the Zubeen Garg death case. Giving justice to Zubeen Garg within 100 days of government formation was a “guarantee” by the Congress, which criticised the BJP as no national party leader visited Zubeen Khetra. During his visit on Wednesday, Sarma reviewed the ongoing development works at the Zubeen Khetra. He said the initial phase of construction has begun, while steps have also been taken to safeguard the site from possible landslides. Once the construction of the boundary wall is completed, the main development work of the Samadhi Khetra is expected to progress in a structured manner, the chief minister added. (Source: PTI)       AASU to protest against price rise of essential items Guwahati, May 20 (PTI) All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) president Utpal Sarma on Wednesday said it will launch a state-wide protest against price rise from May 22 onwards.   In a Facebook post, Sarma said the price rise of essential commodities has affected people hard across the state.   “The market is on fire, and the people are severely suffering. Both governments at the Centre and state have failed to reduce prices,” he added.   In such a situation, a people’s movement is inevitable, Sarma asserted.   “On May 22, AASU will start a protest march against price rise and to demand a reduction in the rates of essential items,” he added.   AASU has not shared details of the proposed protest as of now. PTI