2 police outposts, 70 houses torched in Manipur's Jiribam, SP transferred
Imphal (PTI): Tensions heightened in Manipur's Jiribam district on Saturday after suspected militants torched two police outposts, a forest office and at least 70 houses, prompting the authorities to transfer the superintendent of police, officials said.
A contingent of more than 70 state police commandos was airlifted from Imphal to Jiribam to assist security personnel in their operations against militants, they said.
Meanwhile, around 239 Meitei people, mostly women and children, were evacuated from peripheral areas of Jiribam on Friday, and moved to a newly set up relief camp at a multi-sports complex in the district, the officials said.
According to a senior officer, suspected militants torched more than 70 houses in Lamtai Khunou, Dibong Khunou, Nunkhal and Begra villages. He said the villagers vacated their residences and took shelter in a relief camp.
The SP's transfer order was issued hours after police outposts of Jiri Mukh and Choto Bekra and the Goakhal forest beat office were set on fire this morning, the officer said.
The state government transferred Jiribam SP A Ghanashyam Sharma to the post of additional director of the Manipur Police Training College, according to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms.
M Pradip Singh, who was serving as the additional director of the police training college, will take charge as the senior superintendent of police of Jiribam district.
Reacting to the incidents of fresh violence, newly elected Congress MP from the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat Angomcha Bimol Akoijam urged the state government to protect the lives and properties of the people of Jiribam district.
"I have talked to district officials of Jiribam. Those in the town are being provided security, while those in peripheral areas are not being provided security," Akoijam told reporters here.
Violence broke out in Jiribam in the ethnic strife-torn state on Thursday evening after suspected militants killed a 59-year-old man.
The man, identified as Soibam Saratkumar Singh, went missing after he had gone to his farm on June 6 and later, his body was found, with wounds made by a sharp object, one officer said.
Prohibitory orders were clamped there after locals set a few abandoned structures on fire following the recovery of the body of Singh.
Locals had also staged a protest in front of the Jiribam Police Station, demanding that their licenced firearms taken from them in the wake of elections be returned to them after the completion of the polls.
Jiribam, which has a diverse ethnic composition comprising Meiteis, Muslims, Nagas, Kukis and non-Manipuris, has remained unaffected by the ethnic strife that has been raging in Manipur since May last year.
The ethnic conflict between Imphal valley-based Meiteis and hills-based Kukis has led to the deaths of over 200 people and rendered thousands of people homeless.
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
