Mizoram awaits Centre's assistance for providing shelter to 12,600 people from Manipur
Aizawl (PTI): The Mizoram government is still waiting for financial assistance from the Centre for providing shelter to over 12,600 people from ethnic strife-torn Manipur, a senior official said.
Mizoram Home Commissioner and Secretary H Lalengmawia said that Chief Minister Zoramthanga had, in May, sought Rs 10 crore as an immediate relief package for those displaced people.
"We have not received any assistance from the Centre so far. The state government has raised funds on its own to provide relief to internally displaced people from Manipur," Lalengmawia told PTI on Sunday.
He hoped that the Centre would soon sanction funds for these people, who have taken shelter in Mizoram after the ethnic violence broke out in the neighbouring state on May 3.
Lalengmawia also said the Mizoram administration has solicited donations from legislators, government employees, bankers and others.
"We have completed the collection and I am yet to receive a report of the total collected amount," he said.
According to the Mizoram home department, altogether 12,611 people from Manipur have taken shelter in the state till Friday.
Of them, 4,440 took shelter in Kolasib district, 4,265 in Aizawl and 2,951 in Saitual, it said.
The remaining 955 are residing in Champhai, Mamit, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Lunglei, Serchhip, Khawzawl and Hnahthial districts.
The government and village authorities have set up 38 relief camps in Aizawl, Kolasib and Saitual.
The state government, NGOs, churches and villagers provided food and other basic items to the displaced people.
Clashes first broke out in early May in Manipur after a Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals Nagas and Kukis constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.
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Blast at railway track in Patiala was attempted detonation, killed operator: Punjab Police
Chandigarh (PTI): A blast that took place at a railway track near the Shambhu area in Punjab's Patiala was an attempted detonation, a senior police officer said on Tuesday.
The person who was trying to carry out the detonation on Monday has died, Patiala SSP Varun Sharma said.
The blast took place near the Shambhu-Ambala rail track. Police earlier said that an unidentified body, which was blown into pieces, was recovered from the spot.
Initially, it was considered a low-intensity blast. However, investigation has revealed that it was an attempted detonation.
The explosion occurred at around 10 pm at the rail track dedicated for freight trains, police said.
The explosion also caused some damage to the track.
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"Late night, we had received information about a low intensity explosion at a railway track near Shambhu-Haryana border. Immediately, I, along with the deputy inspector general of police and other senior officials, rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation.
"We found that it was not a low intensity explosion but an attempted detonation," the SSP said.
During the attempt, the person who was trying to carry out the detonation died, and his body has been recovered, he said.
Police said they have recovered a SIM card from the spot.
"After getting whatever scientific evidence including a SIM card from the spot, police have launched technical investigation," Sharma said.
"We expect that we will soon unravel the whole conspiracy," he said.
He further said the Government Railway Police, the Railway Protection Force and other agencies are involved in investigation.
Earlier in January, a blast on a dedicated freight corridor railway track in the Fatehgarh Sahib district's Sirhind had damaged the engine of a train and left a loco pilot injured.
