IMPHAL, April 1: Even as the olive branch is being offered, in all, 19 persons including a six-year-old girl were killed in different insurgency and counter-insurgency related incidents during the first-ever month-long "unilateral ceasefire" announced by the Radhabinod Koijam-led People's Front Ministry to all the underground outfits operating in Manipur. The unilateral ceasefire which came into force from March 1, came to an end on Saturday without having any positive response from the underground outfits though Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam himself has reportedly claimed of having...

KOHIMA, April 1: The NSCN(IM) on Friday termed Thursday's security forces raid of the office of its Information and Publicity wing in the town as 'clear violation of ceasefire ground rules,' reports PTI. NSCN(IM) Information and Publicity secretary V Horam said security forces personnel swooped down on the office and took away a computer set, fax machine, tape recorder, three telephone sets, a cordless telephone, some books and printed materials and personnel belongings. He said 'it is a clear violation of the ceasefire ground rules.' Army sources said the security forces raided the office of...

AGARTALA, April 1: After lying low for sometime, NLFT militants have started interfering in the traditional religious rites of the people. The Church-backed militants have banned the use of traditional musical instruments for performing kirtans (devotional songs) by Hindu tribals. In pamphlets distributed among the Hindu tribals, NLFT marauders warned against the use of traditional musical instruments. The fiat has triggered panic among the Hindu tribals living in the interior areas like Borakha, Patni, Barkathal and Sonai in Sadar subdivision. Sources in the Sanatan Dharma Parishad said there...

AGARTALA, April 1: The Tripura unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has severed its ties with Trinamool Congress in the State as it withdrew support from the National Democratic Alliance Government at the Centre, according to State BJP president Brajesh Chakraborty here today, reports PTI. "There is no point in maintaining any understanding with Trinamool because alliance at the Centre has broken with the withdrawal of support by its chief Mamata Banerjee from the Union Government," Chakraborty told reporters here today. On the other hand, TC convenor Ratan Chakraborty said the party has...

IMPHAL, April 1: The two factions of the Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP) have started trading charges, though most of the legislators are undecided over which side to support. Sources said the two factions - one led by former Chief Minister W. Nipamacha Singh and the other by Union minister of state for food processing Th. Chaoba Singh - are trying to establish themselves as the "real MSCP". Though the party has split into two camps at the organisational level, a distinctive division is yet to surface in its legislature wing. The MSCP is the single largest party in the Manipur Assembly...