Meitei protesters lock central government offices in Manipur’s Imphal amid growing tensions
Imphal: Protests by the student wing of Meitei civil society group, Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity, have escalated in Imphal with demonstrators locking the offices of the Chief Electoral Officer and the Geological Survey of India.
The move is part of a larger statewide protest demanding an apology from Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, as reported by The Telegraph on Wednesday.
Protesters also held placards that said “Apology to Manipur or Leave Manipur” and “President’s Rule must stop insulting Manipur’s identity”.
The unrest is rooted in a May 20 incident where security personnel allegedly ordered the removal of the words “Manipur State Transport” from a state-run bus that was transporting around twenty journalists to the Shirui Lily Festival in Ukhrul.
The situation has further intensified due to reports that Governor Bhalla was airlifted by an army helicopter from Imphal Airport to Kangla Fort—just 300 meters from the Raj Bhavan—on Monday. This move was allegedly made to avoid protesters blocking the roads, which has fueled public outrage, The Telegraph added.
Violence has plagued Manipur since May 2023, with ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo-Hmar communities. Over 260 lives have been lost, and thousands have been displaced.
Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February this year, following the resignation of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh.
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Heatwave scorches Odisha, Jharsuguda reels under 43.6 degrees C
Bhubaneswar (PTI): Heatwave conditions scorched Odisha on Tuesday, with the IMD forecasting that hot and humid conditions would continue in parts of the state.
The IMD’s Bhubaneswar centre said Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam and Gajapati districts were likely to experience hot and humid conditions on April 22.
It also predicted thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty surface winds in parts of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada and Koraput, among others.
On Tuesday, 18 places across Odisha recorded maximum temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius or above. The industrial town of Jharsuguda was the hottest in the state at 43.6 degrees Celsius.
Sambalpur and Titlagarh recorded 42.5 degrees Celsius each, followed by Hirakud at 42.4 degrees, Bolangir at 42.2 degrees and Angul at 42.1 degrees.
The twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack recorded 37.9 degrees Celsius and 38.8 degrees Celsius, respectively, with relative humidity levels remaining above 70 per cent.
Meanwhile, the state government directed all district education officers to conduct a Summer Learning Programme for students till class 8 in government schools during the summer vacation.
Officials said students would be given practice assignments along with audio-visual learning content.
Subject-wise assignment sheets have been prepared, while related digital material will be shared through school parents' WhatsApp groups using a chatbot system, they said.
