Latest news with #AT
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Farmer injured in firing by unidentified miscreants in Manipur's Bishnupur
In Manipur, a farmer was shot and injured in Bishnupur district, amidst ongoing tensions following an obstruction of Meitei farmers by Kuki villagers. Police have arrested nine individuals, including members of Arambai Tenggol, related to the death of a differently abled man. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Guwahati: A farmer was injured when fired by unidentified miscreants near the foothill areas of Bishnupur district in farmer is identified as Ningthoujam Biren. A senior police officer said that the incident took place around 3:15 Pm when the farmers were working in their paddy June 15 there was tension started in the Pukhao Leitanpokpi area in Imphal East district after Meitei farmers attempting to cultivate their paddy fields at Sadu Lampak were reportedly obstructed by villagers from Songfel, a Kuki village in Kangpokpi police have arrested nine individuals, including six members of the radical Meitei outfit Arambai Tenggol (AT), in connection with the disappearance and death of a differently abled body of 29-year-old Chesam Abdul Kadir, who went missing on the night of June 10, was found buried near the Imphal riverbank at Shamurou Naorem on Tuesday. He belonged to the Meitei Pangal (Muslim) Singh, MLA of Wangoi along with representatives of Joint Action Committee against the killing of Chesam Abdul Kadir called on Governor of Manipur, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, at Raj Bhavan, Imphal and submitted a memorandum highlighted the urgent need to apprehend the accused promptly and to ensure that justice is delivered swiftly and transparently. Governor gave the representatives a patient hearing and assured them that appropriate legal action would be taken without delay. The meeting was also attended by DGP Rajiv Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights (KWOHR), representing tribal women from across the Kuki-Zo community, submitted a memorandum to Union Home minister Amit Shah with deepening concern and anguish over the continued state-backed persecution, arbitrary arrests, and systematic Kuki-Zo community has consistently upheld the law, sought democratic redress, and called for peace. Yet, what we are witnessing is the continued criminalisation of our identity, collective punishment, and blatant disregard for constitutional added, 'These are not isolated arrests. They form part of a deliberate pattern of selective targeting, where only Kuki-Zo citizens are investigated, detained, and vilified, while radical Meitei outfits like Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun continue to operate freely'.
1News
3 days ago
- Climate
- 1News
South Auckland storm repairs almost complete
Road damage repairs from extreme weather events almost two years ago is almost complete in south Auckland. In 2023, heavy rain on Auckland's Anniversary Day weekend and Cyclone Gabrielle caused severe flooding, and more than 2000 slips were reported to Auckland Transport on local roads, across the region. In the south, 30 complex slips needed repairing: nine minor (less than $250,000 to repair) and 21 major (more than $250,000 to repair). In a statement, Auckland Transport (AT) said their flood recovery team has repaired 83% of the slips. AT road asset maintenance and renewals general manager Alan Wallace said 25 slips have been fixed, and three more will be repaired in the second half of the year. ADVERTISEMENT These are Ararimu Rd, Cemetery Rd, and East Coast Rd. 'Last month, we completed the repairs to the second slip site on Kemp Road in Āwhitu, and Urquhart Road in Karaka – both substantial slips which closed the road," he said. Wallace said work involved the installation of a soil nail retaining wall and drainage improvements. Work to repair two slips on Kemp Rd began in February; the first involved building a timber retaining wall and repairs to the road surface, he said. The second involved installing a soil nail retaining wall and drainage improvements. Construction to re-establish the connection on Urquhart Rd began in April 2025, and was completed last month. He said work included the installation of new drainage across the road and the construction of a mechanically stabilised earth (MSE) wall to mitigate the slip. ADVERTISEMENT By the end of May 2025, 56% of minor slips, and all but one major slip in the south had been repaired. Only one major slip, Manukau Heads Rd, is still currently under construction. Construction teams have continued work on the general fill of the Manukau Heads site, switching to the use of crushed concrete because of the wet ground conditions. New rock armour on the face of the MSE wall now protects the road from further erosion. AT said the head of the slip has been trimmed back and was ready to be planted. "One of the two large stormwater pipes that will protect the road from flooding in the future has been installed." Since the 2023 weather damage, AT has fixed 1200 small slips across the region, but more than 800 bigger slips have required extensive investigation to inform sustainable and resilient engineering design solutions. ADVERTISEMENT LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
1News
3 days ago
- Automotive
- 1News
Bikes on buses over Auckland Harbour Bridge to be trialled
Cyclists will be able to bring their bikes on some buses travelling across Auckland's Harbour Bridge as a trial of interior bike racks expands. Fifteen double-decker buses on the NX1 bus route - around a third of the fleet - will be fitted with a bike rack inside the bus. The trial will run for a year from July. It follows a pilot in November last year where two types of internal bike racks were testing on double-decker NX1 buses. Auckland Transport (AT) said allowing bikes on buses provided a "consistent service" for passengers using rapid transit services, as bikes can already be taken on trains. ADVERTISEMENT "By making it easier for Aucklanders to combine a bike ride and a public transport trip, it provides options for more people to use public transport," said head of public transport services planning and development Pete Moth. "Importantly, allowing bikes on the NX1 service gives cyclists a way to cross the Auckland Harbour Bridge, providing a more connected and accessible network." Buses with a bike rack on board would have a circular green cyclist icon on the front. (Source: Auckland Transport) The AT mobile app would display whether an approaching bus had a bike rack onboard, with passengers also able to identify if a bus has a bike rack by the circular green cyclist icon on the front, and the side of the bus. To make way for the bike racks on the buses, a few forward-facing seats have been removed and replaced with a bike rack and three flip-down seats. Additional handrails, safety hangers, and a seatbelt-type restraint for bikes will be installed. The wheelchair accessible space on the bus will remain the same. The trial is expected to run for 12 months.
Scoop
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Scoop
Second Phase Of Bikes In Buses Trial Begins - Cyclists Can Now Cross The Auckland Harbour Bridge
Auckland Transport (AT) is gearing up for the next phase of its bikes in buses trial from July 2025, aiming to make public transport more flexible, and enable a variety of active modes of travel. Following a successful pilot in November 2024, where two types of internal bike racks were tested on double-decker buses along the Northern Express (NX1) route, AT is expanding the initiative. The pilot demonstrated that integrating bikes with buses is feasible, and of interest to many passengers. AT's Head of Public Transport Services Planning & Development Pete Moth says allowing bikes inside buses would mean that AT can provide a consistent service for passengers using Rapid Transit Services, as bikes can already be taken on trains. 'By making it easier for Aucklanders to combine a bike ride and a public transport trip, it provides options for more people to use public transport. This could save many Aucklanders' time and money and contribute to health and environmental goals. 'Importantly, allowing bikes on the NX1 service gives cyclists a way to cross the Auckland Harbour Bridge, providing a more connected and accessible network,' he says. What to expect in phase two of the bikes in buses trial From July 2025, there will be 15 double decker buses on Auckland's Northern Express (NX1) bus route fitted with a bike rack inside the bus. These bike racks will be available to all cyclists to use. The preferred bike rack design is a sleek, flip-down space-efficient model with secure bike restraints. Installation is underway through May and June, and racks will be available for use as soon as they're installed. Integration with the AT Mobile App will allow users to check in real-time (in the 'live departures' section) if an approaching bus has a bike rack onboard. Passengers at NX1 stops and stations will also be able to identify if a bus has a bike rack by the circular green cyclist icon on the front, and the side of the bus. An important part of this trial is to better understand the experience of cyclists and NX1 bus passengers, so AT is encouraging cyclists and NX1 commuters to share their experiences via an online survey. Phase two of the trial is expected to run for one year, so that AT can monitor operations across all seasons. 'Ultimately, our aim is to offer a consistent service on all Rapid Transit Services. By allowing passengers to take their bikes on the NX1 service, this is a first step towards bikes being allowed on all of our Rapid Transit bus services, as they can be on trains,' Pete Moth says. 'We hope a successful trial will lead to other Rapid Transit Bus Services (the NX2 and WX1) across Auckland being able to offer a bikes in buses service to cyclists.'
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Manipur's Black T-Shirts
Violence returned to Manipur after a brief lull when security personnel picked up Asem Kanan Singh, the self-styled 'army chief' of Arambai Tenggol (AT), a radical Meitei group, from one of its strategic units in Imphal on the night of June 7. The following day, sleuths of the CBI arrested him at the Imphal Airport and brought him to Guwahati for questioning. The AT lifted its 10-day shutdown across the Imphal Valley on the fourth day after officials assuaged tempers by saying Mr. Singh, a suspended Manipur Police head constable, was not arrested for his AT connection but for involvement in several criminal cases. One of these cases related to arms smuggling in 2020 is almost as old as the AT, which derives its name from a poisoned dart-like weapon (Arambai) used by the troops of the Manipuri kings against Burmese invaders and a cavalry platoon (Tenggol). It was no coincidence that the AT's primary fight turned out to be against the Kuki-Zo people, perceived as 'illegal' settlers from Myanmar with the agenda of grabbing the Meitei domain. Founded by Manipur's titular king and the BJP's Rajya Sabha member, Leishemba Sanajaoba, the group uses the 'Salai Taret' flag, representing seven Meitei clans. It adopted a religious and nationalist rhetoric, invoking the pre-Hindu Sanamahi faith of the Meiteis and envisaging a return to the old glory of the Meitei kingdom of Kangleipak. The group is headed by Korounganba Khuman, referred to by his subordinates as pathou, meaning revered leader. The members of the group, estimated to be 60,000 now, can be identified from their black T-shirts bearing a red insignia of three horsemen charging with weapons. The AT came into discussion in 2022, around the same time the Meitei Leepun — a similar radical group founded by Pramot Singh in 2015 — began drawing attention. Both shot to prominence after the ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities broke out in May 2023, but the more organised, aggressive, and armed AT soon pushed the Meitei Leepun into near-obscurity. The AT scored more on optics and alleged intimidation of those not in line with its outlook, apart from the royal patronage it received. The organisation believes its members are like the warriors who once served the Meitei kings, and one of its major oath-taking ceremonies in 2022 was held at Mr Sanajaoba's house. During the initial days of the conflict, AT members were accused of going on a rampage, organising blockades on roads leading to the hills where Kuki-Zo people living in the Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley fled to, looting arms from the police armouries, and indulging in arson. It was also accused of hounding and killing Kuki-Zo people. Parallel government The group allegedly received the support of former Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh and virtually ran a parallel government during much of the conflict. Kuki-Zo organisations blame the AT, apart from Biren Singh, for the conflict that claimed more than 250 lives. The AT, on the other hand, holds several Kuki-Zo insurgent groups, albeit in ceasefire mode, responsible for starting the fire. This was evident when it summoned two MPs, including Mr. Sanajaoba, and 37 MLAs to Imphal's historic Kangla Fort in January 2024, made them take an oath to preserve the integrity of Manipur and sign a six-point demand to be communicated to the Centre. The AT reportedly assaulted two BJP and a Congress legislator for refusing to sign the document. In a Facebook post before the summoning, the AT said it would consider absentee political leaders as 'enemies of the Meiteis' and would deal with them accordingly. The AT went on the back foot after the President's Rule was imposed in Manipur on February 13, days after Mr. Biren Singh quit as the Chief Minister. Soon after, the group surrendered some 300 firearms during a seven-day ultimatum set for wielders of weapons looted during the peak of the conflict. Often compared with Chhattisgarh's Salwa Judum, a government-trained anti-Maoist militia that degenerated into a vigilante movement that went on a killing spree, The AT has often underlined its nationalist outlook, unlike several Meitei extremist outfits, which insist on Manipur's sovereignty. At a traditional annual event in Imphal on April 13, Mr. Sanajaoba stressed this difference to an audience that included muscular 'men in black' belonging to the AT. He said the group was established to 'defend our land, culture, and identity' and that it was not anti-national. 'Our goal is to defend and protect Manipur and India, but we were compelled to take a role we never intended to. Some may say that Arambai Tenggol have surrendered their weapons and are living as civilians. But, at any given time, we will be ready for the call to defend our land,' he said.
