Imphal, June 28 : In one of the biggest surrender ceremony in recent times,19 hardcore members of three militants groups laid down arms and surrendered to Manipur DGP Yumnam Joy Kumar and Major General CA Krishnan, Inspector General of Assam Rifles
(South) on Saturday.
The surrendered militants – 15 United Liberation Army, three Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup and a self-styled Sergeant Major of the United National Liberation Front also handed over a large quantity of stores and communication equipment including an AK Rifle with ammunition, two Sten-gun carbines, two 303 rifles, four pistols, a revolver, hand grenades and three wireless radio sets.
The surrender ceremony was held at Assam Rifles headquarters at Mantripukhuri near here on Saturday.
Speaking on the occasion, Manipur Police chief assured that the government will ensure for their future life under existing surrender policy while IG Assam Rifles CA Krishnan said that such a large scale surrender of the militants is unprecedented in insurgency history of the State.
Earlier, 13 Zou People’s Army cadres and six militants belonging to the People’s Liberation Army and the Kangleipak Communist Party- Military Council (KCP-MC) had surrendered to the Assam Rifles and Red Shield division separately on June 4 and June 9 last.
Meanwhile, Assam Rifles troops apprehended one over ground worker of People’s Liberation Army of Heirok Part II while jawans of Maratha Light Infantry arrested one People’s United Liberation Front cadre of Khelokhong Makha Uchiwa on Sunday. Troops of Assam Rifles also apprehended two cadres of Kangleipak Communist Party (MC) in Imphal East district.
~ Assam Tribune
AIDS claims 171 lives in Mizoram in 20 years
Aizawl, June 27 (PTI): Of the 437 full-blown AIDS cases in Mizoram, 171 people, including 72 women, had died in the State in the last 20 years, official sources said.
Of the 171 deaths, three deaths were reported during April and May this year, State AIDS Control Society (MSACS) officials said. HIV infection was first detected in the State in 1990.
Describing the increasing detection of HIV positive cases as “alarming”, the officials said that 126 and 101 fresh HIV positive infections were detected in April and May respectively.
“The situation is more alarming due to the fact that the main factor for the spread of the disease is through sexual contact”, the officials said.
Of the total HIV positives, 1,559 males and 1,349 females were infected through sexual contact, they said.
Meanwhile, 1138 men and 230 women became HIV positive through blood transfusion as they were intravenous drug users, sharing syringes and needles while taking drugs, the officials said.
The number of people turning HIV positive due to transmission from infected mother to babies during pregnancy was 171, they said.
MSACS officials said that people belonging to 25-34 age group were the most vulnerable as of the total 4,608 infected people, 1868 people belonged to this age group.
Even younger people are not immune from HIV with 183 people below 14 years of age being infected, the officials said.
