Imphal: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday took a helicopter to visit Churachandpur, after being stuck at Bishnupur for hours as his convoy was stopped by the police, sources said.
Gandhi had to stop at Bishnupur, around 20 kilometres from Imphal, after police halted his convoy fearing attacks on it.
"Rahul Gandhi took a state government-provided chopper to visit Churachandpur. Top police and administration officials accompanied him in the helicopter," said a source at the airport.
The Congress leader, who was on a two-day visit to the ethnic strife-torn northeastern state from Thursday, came back to the Imphal airport from Bishnupru and boarded the helicopter, the sources said.
Tear gas was used at Bishnupur by the local police on demonstrators - some of whom wanted him to proceed to Churanchandpur, while others opposed his visit.
Gandhi's convoy was travelling to Churachandpur to visit relief camps in the area.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Bengaluru: The Kannada short film Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know, directed by Chidananda S. Naik, has officially qualified for the 2025 Academy Awards, announced the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Monday. The film has earned a spot in the Live Action Short Film category.
The film was produced by the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). Earlier this year, Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know won the first prize at the Cannes Film Festival’s La Cinef Selection, a platform for emerging filmmakers. The La Cinef Jury at Cannes lauded the film for its exceptional storytelling and direction, with the jury describing it as "an illumination that, from the depths of the night, shines with humour and a keen sense of direction."
Film director Naik stated, “I have aspired to tell this story for as long as I can remember. Our goal was to recreate the experience of not merely hearing these stories but of genuinely living them–an experience I hope resonates with audiences around the globe.”
The 15-minute film is based on Kannada folk tale about an old woman who steals the village rooster, leading to a cessation of sunlight and resulting in turmoil within the community. In an effort to restore order, a prophecy is invoked, resulting in the exile of the woman’s family as they undertake a desperate mission to retrieve the rooster.
The film’s team includes Suraj Thakur as the cinematographer, Manoj V. as the editor and Abhishek Kadam for sound design.
The 97th Academy Awards will take place in March 2025.