IMPHAL, March 24: The crisis in the Manipur State Congress Party worsened today, with a faction of the party electing Union minister of state for food processing Thounaojam Chaoba Singh as its new president. With this development, the MSCP seems to be heading for a vertical split as the other faction led by former Chief Minister W. Nipamacha Singh has claimed that he was re-elected party president on March 14. After his election, Chaoba Singh today launched a tirade against the previous government led by Nipamacha Singh for landing the state in a financial crisis. The minister claimed that his...

AGARTALA, March 24: Militants belonging to the outlawed National Liberation Front of Twipra (NLFT) have struck once again at Shikaribari area in Dhalai district this morning at around 8 am, killing two CRPF jawans and three civilians in an ambush on a passenger convoy on Assam-Agartala highway. The militants also decamped with one carbine, one SLR and one wireless set from the slain CRPF men. Seven were injured in the attack. This is the second major ambush on security forces and civilians carried out by the same militant outfit in one week and the third one this month. Only on March 21 the...

TURA, March 24: A Garo militant group known as the People's Liberation Front of Meghalaya (PLF-M), has given an order warning all non-Garos not to contest the State Assembly and district council elections slated for 2003. The order given by the outfit's "minister for information and publicity" Chengku Momin, stated that the Garos would face a number of problems if the non-Garos contested and won elections. The outfit is of the impression that the non-Garos would utilise the maximum benefits for themselves if they won the elections and this in turn, would push the Garo Hills into a situation...

IMPHAL, March 23: Patrolling and frisking by police and security forces have been intensified in and around the Christian-missionary run schools Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam told the House today. Replying to question raised in this regard by Congress MLA Rishang Keishing during the Question Hour in the State Assembly today, the Chief Minister informed the House that as of now all the Catholic School except Don Bosco School, Langjing and St Joseph's School, Sangairprou were holding regular classes. He disclosed that regular classes have been registered in connection with the incidents of...

IMPHAL, March 23: The Manipur Chief Minister today admitted on the Floor of the House that he knew about Catholic missionary schools being pressured in the state. Asked by the lone Opposition member, Rishang Keishing (Cong), if he was aware that some people were threatening Catholic missionary schools in Manipur, Koijam said yes. Koijam said patrolling around missionary schools have been intensified. All except Don Bosco, Langjing and St Josheph's School, Sangiporou have reopened. He said regular cases have been taken up against attacks on missionaries and at least two ultras were killed on 18...