IMPHAL, January 23:In an incident that has no precedent in Manipur, altogether nine loaded oil tankers were set ablaze by suspected underground militants this morning on National Highway 39, at a place close to Karong in the Senapati district. The tankers, six carrying petrol, two high-speed diesel and one kerosene, were returning to Imphal after loading up at Kharkoti, near Tinsukia in Assam. Each tanker was carrying 10 to 12 kilolitres of oil. The All Manipur Petroleum Products Transporters Association has since decided to suspend all services indefinitely in protest against the incident...

NEW DELHI, January 21: In a desperate bid to survive, a beleaguered Manipur Chief Minister W Nipamacha Singh has committed himself to toe Home Ministry's line to tone up the administration including crackdown on police set up, transfer of rebel police forces and sacking of 800 ad hoc employees, reports PTI. The Manipur Government has agreed to replace DGP DS Grewal with another IPS officer "to be provided by Home Ministry", a leading Northeast weekly has reported in its latest issue. Among other points reportedly agreed upon by Singh in a meeting with Home Minister LK Advani on January 6 here...

IMPHAL, January 21: Former BJP state unit president, Col (retd) Haobam Bhubon, MLA, said he is willing to take Rishang's dare to the Opposition MLAs and resign if that will ensure President's Rule and usher in a fresh mandate of the people. Speaking to IFP today, Col Bhubon said the present government has taken the state to its worst ever nadir and deserves to be replaced at any cost. Taking a page out of the Army manual for discipline, he said there are no bad soldiers, there are only bad officers. If the leadership is good, those who follow will also have to be good, he explained. "And this...

GUWAHATI, January 22: The conversion of about 140 families into Christianity in the Mising dominated Jengraimukh areas of the world's largest fresh water island Majuli, which is also known as the nerve-centre of Assamese Vaishnavite religion and culture, has made the Satras, - the seats of Vaishnavite religion, to sit up and chalk out their own strategies to check the inroad of Christianity. The island has at present 22 Satras located on it. Agitated villagers of Barpamuwagaon, Kumarbari, Jengraigaon and Namani Cherpaigaon of Jenraimukh have also forbidden the entry of Christian missionaries...

DIMAPUR, January 21: Union Communication Minister Ram Vilas Paswan today said towns in the entire Northeast will get cell phone services by August-September as his ministry has been persuading ministries of Defence and Home Affairs to give clearance to open up the facility in the region, reports PTI. "The region should not be deprived of the facility on the pretext of security reasons and I hope the Defence and Home Ministries will give their nod soon and we can expect the services by August-September next," Paswan said while inaugurating the office of the Chief General Manager, NE Telecom...