ZU declines to hold Lui Ngaini fest at Tamenglong

Imphal, February 2: THE ZELIANGRONG Union (ZU) Assam, Manipur and Nagaland has declined to hold the Lui Ngaini festival at Tamenglong this year, and asked the United Naga Council (UNC) to organise the festival elsewhere.

Dr S Xavier Pamei, general secretary of ZU (AM&N) stated in a press release issued today that the Union welcomed the decision of the Lui Ngaini celebration committee, declaring Tamenglong headquarters as the venue for Lui Ngaini 2009 .

But the ZU and Zeliangrong public, after considering all factors, find it impossible to host the state level Lui Ngaini festival at the eleventh hour, it stated.

In this connection, the ZU, AM&N had requested the celebration committee to shift the venue to some other suitable place to organise the state level Lui Ngaini with great pomp and gaiety, the ZU press release stated.

However, it is unfortunate to learn that the officials of UNC had requested the authority concerned to release fund for organising the festival at Tamenglong headquarters in spite of best efforts to avoid any ugly scene.

Therefore, the ZU (AM&N) and Zeliangrong people will never allow any organisation to hold Lui Ngaini 2009 at Tamenglong headqurters to make a mockery out of it, the general secretary warned.

NU Education dept informs

Kohima : The M.Phil/Ph.D scholars, research workers of different Universities and Institutes, teachers, lecturers, individuals and NGOs who have conducted research studies in the field of education in Nagaland have been informed that a study on “Trends of Research in Education in Nagaland” is being conducted for All India Association for Education Research (AIAER).
The purpose for the study is to examine the trends of educational research in Nagaland, identify the gaps and highlight emerging issues.
An abstract of research containing details such as, name of the investigator, title of the study, year, objectives of the study, details of methodology such as sample, tools used and findings of the study may be sent to the Department of Education, Nagaland University, Kohima either by post or in person so as to reach latest by 16th March 2009 to enable the team to review and include it in the aforementioned survey. For  more details, contact 9856161988.
This was stated in a release issued Dr. Lungsang Zeliang, Sr.Lecturer, Department of Education, Nagaland University, Kohima campus and Dr.Buno Liegise, Reader, Department of Education, Nagaland University, Kohima Campus.

Man caught for raping minor girl in Dimapur

Kohima, Jan 22 : A 10-year old girl was allegedly raped repeatedly, the last on the 17th, by a 50-year old man in Niuland sub-division under Dimapur district. Sources said that the rape-accused, identified as one Zhetokhu Yeptho, aged 50 and of Phuye Old village, was apprehended by civil organizations of Niuland and paraded before being handed over to the police.

Niuland Sumi Totimi Hoho today informed that the organization along with GBs and DBs and public leaders apprehended the perpetrator and handed him over to police.

Police sources said the victim was brought to the house of Zhetokhu by her father on January 9 to help with domestic work. Zhetokhu reportedly promised to pay Rs 200 per month, besides providing her food and clothing.

On the said day, he also paid Rs 3000 to the victim’s father and promised to look after the girl.
However, on January 13, Zhetokhu brought the girl to Dimapur on the pretext of buying her some clothes, but took her to one hotel, where they stayed for the night.

On the same night, Zhetokhu raped the girl thrice and again in the morning before going back to Niuland. Police said the perpetrator did not buy any clothes for the girl, instead threatened her not to disclose anything to anybody.

Again on January 16 and 17, the girl was raped inside Zhetokhu’s house when his wife went to sleep.

However, on January 18, the girl fled to one of her aunt’s house and narrated the whole incident, which was reported to a women’s group in Niuland.

This morning, a large number of women gathered and took out Zhetokhu and paraded him in Niuland town. He was later handed over to the police. Later in the afternoon, he was brought to Dimapur’s women cell, where he confessed to his crime.

Sources said Zhetokhu has grandchildren of the victim’s age. The minor girl was also sent for medical examination, which confirmed rape.

The NSTH meanwhile cautioned any person or groups from attempting to release the accused on bail. Any person attempting such will be doing so at own risk.

The NSTH would be forced to take an own course of action, a note from the women hoho cautioned.

Fire destroys 4 houses in Dimapur

Dimapur : Four houses used as tyre stores were today destroyed in a fire that broke out at Burma Camp, below the over-bridge, at Tragopan junction.

The fire began at around 3:00 PM reportedly from an electric short circuit and raged on for more than two hours before it was finally put out after 5:00 pm.

Fire trucks were slowed by the narrow lanes, obstruction caused by the railway tracks and congestion between houses in that locality.

Owing to this, the fire raged on untended while the fire trucks went back for refills. However, the true heroes of the day were the locality’s boys who, at the risk of their own safety, fought the fire.

They formed human chains on the rooftops and put in a tireless fight against the blazing monster with constant doses of water in buckets, vessels and even dishes.

A tyre shop belonging to one Javid Alem was completely gutted while nearby houses also suffered extensive damage in the attempt to keep the fire from spreading to the other closely-set houses.

Officials from the fire department informed that no casualty resulted from today’s fire incident.