Posts Tagged ‘Guwahati’
Written by admin on 16 November 2012
Guwahati, Nov 16 (IANS) ULFA’s anti−talk faction has called for a 12−hour dawn−to−dusk shutdown in Assam Monday to protest against the killing of three people in a staged gun−battle Nov 14.
Security forces in Majuli Island in Jorhat had Thursday killed three people and injured two during an anti−insurgency operation.
Police said one of the deceased was an Ulfa militant while the two others were civilians, who died in the cross−fire. The two injured people were also civilians, they said.
Police also said they recovered a pistol and live ammunition from the slain militant.
But the United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa) faction led by Paresh Baruah said all the people killed in the staged gun−battle were civilians.
“The three people killed in Majuli on Thursday were not ULFA cadre but innocent civilians,” said a statement by Aranya Asom, a member of the ULFA’s publicity wing.
The statement said the Nov 19 shutdown would be in effect in Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur, Golaghat, Jorhat, Sibsagar and Tinsukia districts.
Tags: Guwahati
Posted in National | No Comments »
Written by admin on 16 November 2012
Guwahati, Nov 16 (IANS) Curfew continued Friday in Kokrajhar area of Assam’s Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD), where violence has claimed the lives of six people since Nov 10.
The army, which has been called in to help police in containing the law and order situation, has been carrying out flag marches at all the sensitive places in the district − particularly in and around Kokrajhar town and in areas under the Gosaigaon subdivision in the district.
No incidents had been reported from anywhere in the district in the last 24 hours. However, curfew was still in force in the district as a precautionary measure, Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) S.N. Singh told IANS.
Assam Director General of Police Jayanta Narayan Choudhury also reviewed the situation. State Industry and Commerce Minister Pradyut Bordoloi and senior officials were expected to visit the region.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had called up Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi late Thursday over the situation in BTAD and assured him of all possible help in containing the situation.
Although the immediate reason behind the violence is yet to be ascertained, locals believe it is a backlash from the clashes between the Bodos and Bengali−speaking Muslim settlers in July−August this year in which more than 100 people were killed and close to five lakh people in Kokrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri districts displaced.
The violence started Saturday last week (Nov 10), when suspected militants attacked a group of farmers at Bazugaon under Gosaigaon police station in Kokrajhar district. A man called Ainul Haque was killed and police recovered another body from Anthaibari area in the district. Two days later, on Nov 12, another man was shot dead. In the two days that followed, two more people were killed.
Again, on Thursday, tension escalated with suspected cadres of the anti−talk faction of the Bodo militant outfit National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) injuring one person at the weekly market in Kokrajhar town. Suspected militants also gunned down a man called Nirisan Basumatary at Telipara under Gosaigaon subdivision.
Gogoi had indicated that the NDFB faction was behind the incidents of violence.
IGP Singh said five columns of the army had been deployed − two in Kokrajhar and three in Gosaigaon subdivision − and additional central paramilitary forces were also moving into the district.
“Police have arrested 37 people so far and detained some more for their alleged involvement in the violence,” he said.
Security forces in the area, he said, had also been searching for illegal arms and ammunition belonging to former militants in Kokrajhar and other BTAD areas. A total of 70 pieces of arms had been recovered since July this year.
Tags: Guwahati
Posted in National | No Comments »
Written by admin on 16 November 2012
Guwahati, Nov 16 (IANS) Curfew continued Friday in Kokrajhar area of Assam’s Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD), where violence has claimed the lives of six people since last week.
The army, which has been called in to help police in containing the law and order situation, has been carrying out flag marches at all the sensitive places in the district − particularly in and around Kokrajhar town and in areas under the Gosaigaon subdivision in the district.
No incidents had been reported from anywhere in the district in the last 24 hours. However, curfew was still in force in the district as a precautionary measure, Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) S.N. Singh told IANS.
Assam Director General of Police Jayanta Narayan Choudhury also reviewed the situation. State Industry and Commerce Minister Pradyut Bordoloi and senior officials were expected to visit the region.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had called up Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi late Thursday over the situation in BTAD and assured him of all possible help in containing the situation.
Tension had escalated Thursday with suspected cadres of the anti−talk faction of the Bodo militant outfit National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) injuring one person at the weekly market in Kokrajhar town. Suspected militants also gunned down a man called Nirisan Basumatary at Telipara under Gosaigaon subdivision.
Gogoi had indicated that the anti−talk faction of the Bodo militant outfit National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) was behind the incidents of violence.
IGP Singh said five columns of the army had been deployed − two in Kokrajhar and three in Gosaigaon subdivision − and additional central paramilitary forces were also moving into the district.
“Police have arrested 37 people so far and detained some more for their alleged involvement in the violence,” he said.
Security forces in the area, he said, had also been searching for illegal arms and ammunition belonging to former militants in Kokrajhar and other BTAD areas. A total of 70 pieces of arms had been recovered since July this year.
In July and August this year, clashes between the Bodos and Bengali−speaking Muslims in BTAD had led to over 100 people being killed and close to 500,000 being displaced in Kokrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri districts.
Tags: Assam, Guwahati
Posted in National, Politics | No Comments »
Written by admin on 15 November 2012
Guwahati, Nov 15 (IANS) Indefinite curfew was imposed in Assam’s troubled Kokrajhar district Thursday after suspected militants shot dead a man and stabbed another.
The stray incidents of violence, continuing in Kokrajhar and Baksa districts of the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD), had claimed six lives and left six injured since last week, officials said.
The army, which was called in Wednesday night to handle the situation, carried out a flag march in all sensitive areas of Kokrajhar Thursday.
While the first incident took place during curfew, when suspected militants stabbed one Abul Kalam, the second incident took place in Telipara where suspected militants shot dead one Nirisan Basumatary.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi asked Director General of Police Jayanta Narayan Choudhury to proceed to BTAD to take stock of the situation and restore normalcy, said a statement by the chief minister’s office.
Choudhury was also told to take strong punitive action against those perpetrating the violence.
Gogoi also asked Minister for Industries and Power Pradyut Bordoloi to proceed to BTAD.
“We are concerned about the situation in BTAD. There are some people who do not want peace to return to the BTAD. There are also lots of forces instigating the violence in BTAD,” Gogoi told reporters, adding that six people had been killed in BTAD since last week.
Gogoi also indicated the role of anti−talk faction of the Bodo militant outfit National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) behind the violence.
Besides violence in BTAD, suspected NDFB militants had also killed a tea planter in Sonitpur district on Tuesday.
“The group of ministers constituted for relief and rehabilitation would also visit in BTAD soon,” Gogoi said.
He said he had discussed the situation with General officer Commanding, 4 Corps, Gen. C.A. Krishnan.
The officer is likely to visit BTAD Friday.
“The district administration has imposed indefinite curfew in view of the continued violence,” said Inspector General of Police (BTAD) G.P. Singh.
He said the army had conducted a flag march in all the sensitive areas of the district.
Singh said the condition of the man injured during an attack at a weekly market in Kokrajhar Thursday was serious.
Kokrajhar and Chirang districts, which form Assam’s BTAD along with Udalguri and Baksa, had witnessed one of the worst communal clashes earlier this year which led to the death of over 100 people and displacement of over four lakh people from their homes.
Tags: Guwahati
Posted in National | No Comments »
Written by admin on 15 November 2012
Guwahati, Nov 15 (IANS) The district administration of troubled Kokrajhar of Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) of Assam imposed indefinite curfew Thursday morning after suspected militants shot one person dead and stabbed another in two separate incidents in the district.
The Army, which was called in Wednesday night to handle the situation in Kokrajhar, carried out flag march in all the sensitive areas of the district Thursday morning.
While the first incident took place during indefinite curfew in Kokrajhar, where suspected militants stabbed one Abul Kalam, the second incident took place at Telipara under Gosaigaon subdivision in the district where suspected militants shot dead one Nirisan Basumatary.
“The district administration has imposed indefinite curfew in view of the continued violence Thursday in Kokrajhar,” said IGP (BTAD) G.P. Singh, while talking to IANS Thursday and added that Army had conducted flag march in all the sensitive areas of the district.
Singh said the condition of the person, injured during the attack in the weekly market in Kokrajhar Thursday, is serious.
The Kokrajhar and Chirang districts, which form Assam’s BTAD along with Udalguri and Baksa, had witnessed one of the worst communal clashes earlier this year which led to killing of over 100 people and displacement of over four lakh others from their homes.
Tags: Guwahati
Posted in National | No Comments »
Written by admin on 14 November 2012
Guwahati, Nov 14 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi Wednesday directed state authorities to deal with the latest spurt in violence in Bodoland Territorial Areas Districts (BTAD) region with tough action, where earlier in the year over 100 people were killed in Bodo-Muslim clashes.
The chief minister asked the state Director General of Police (DGP) and top police officials to sternly deal with the situation during a law and order meeting at his residence, where the latest violence in Bodoland areas figured prominently.
“Vigil should be stepped up to foil the sinister designs of these forces,” Gogoi said, and appealed to the people to remain alert to nip in the bud the nefarious designs of these forces and to maintain peace and harmony at any cost.
Suspected cadres of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland’s (NDFB) faction opposed to peace talks unleashed violence at two locations in Kokrajhar late Tuesday night, killing one and injuring three others.
Kokrajhar district, along with neighbouring Baksa and Dhubri, witnessed violence between Bodos and Bengali-speaking Muslims earlier this year that led to the killing of over 100 people and displaced over four lakh people.
Gogoi has also asked the officials to take the help of the army and para-military forces to bring the situation under control in the Bodoland inhabited districts, if required.
Kokrajhar,Udalguri, Baksa and Chirang districts comprise the BTAD – run by an elected autonomous council.
Tuesday afternoon, suspected cadres of the NDFB faction also killed a tea planter at Nagada near Sootea in Assam’s Sonitpur district and injured his security personnel.
The chief minister has already ordered an inquiry into the killing of the tea planter and said that the government would spare no effort to catch those behind tea planter Adilur Rahman’s killing.
The Chief Minister’s Office Wednesday said during the meeting, Gogoi also pointed out that the latest violence is the handiwork of certain forces who wnt to foment disturbances in the Bodoland areas, which were returning to normal.
Meanwhile, the inspector general of police of BTAD said the situation is under control now in the region and that all security forces have been put on alert following the incident late Tuesday night.
“We are also deploying additional forces in Kokrajhar and other areas of the BTAD to stop recurrence of similar incidents of violence,” he said.
Over 30,000 people, who were displaced during the violence earlier this year, are still living in relief camps awaiting rehabilitation.
Tags: Guwahati
Posted in National | No Comments »
Written by admin on 14 November 2012
Guwahati, Nov 14 (IANS) In a joint operation, the Assam and Nagaland police have arrested seven people, including two Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) cadres, a senior police official said Wednesday.
Five smugglers of illegal arms from Assam and Nagaland were also arrested in the joint operation late Tuesday night which led to the recovery of a cache of arms and ammunition.
The seized arms and ammunition included two AK 56 rifles with ten magazines, two shot guns, six .32 bore revolver with seven magazines, one grenade, a carbine magazine, one wireless set and 254 rounds of live ammunition.
“Based on specific information, the Assam Police have nabbed five people from Kshetri area near Guwahati late Tuesday night,” said IGP (Central Western Range) of the Assam Police L.R. Bishnoi Wednesday and added that later, on the leads provided by the five, the Nagaland police arrested two others from Dimapur — the commercial hub of Nagaland.
“The seven arrested people included two cadres of the outfit and a retired constable of the CRPF,” said Bishnoi adding that the rest are involved in arms smuggling.
He said the arms and ammunition consignment was bound for the Garo militant outfit GNLA and meant to be delivered at Garo Hills from Dimapur through Guwahati.
“This is the fifth case of arrest of GNLA cadres from Assam this year and so far about 20 GNLA cadres were nabbed by the Assam police from various parts of the state during the months of March, May and June this year,” Bishnoi said.
He also said that Guwahati is slowly becoming the second hub of arms smuggling in the region after Dimapur.
The IGP said the police were now investigating the links between the GNLA and other militant outfits of the northeast region like the ULFA, NDFB and the NSCN (IM).
Tags: Guwahati
Posted in National | No Comments »
Written by admin on 12 November 2012
Guwahati, Nov 12 (IANS) The customs department here Monday seized a huge consignment of tablets worth over Rs.1 crore containing pseudoephedrine and arrested two people for smuggling the drug.
Sources said the tablets were used in making party drugs, which are very popular among the youth.
Sources said the drug consignment comprised 1,174 kg of tablets and about 100 kg of powder containing pseudoephedrine, which is worth over Rs.1 crore.
The sleuths said the consignment came from New Delhi and was en route to Myanmar via Mizoram.
“We received a tip-off that a consignment was coming from New Delhi. Our officers raided a godown (warehouse) and the seizure was made. The substance was packed in 58 cartons,” a customs official said.
The official added that two people were arrested for their involvement in the crime.
“The arrested duo are middlemen but we are hopeful of getting some vital links from them,” the official said.
Tags: Guwahati
Posted in National | No Comments »
Written by admin on 12 November 2012
Guwahati, Nov 12 (IANS) Following the killing of a man by unknown assailants, a mob protesting the alleged murder laid siege to a police station in Assam’s Kokrajhar district Monday, police said. Security has been beefed up after the incident.
The killing took place at Bhumka under Tulsibeel police station.
The victim has been identified as Ali Hussain, police said.
Kokrajhar along with Udalguri, Baksa and Chirang districts comprise the Bodoland Territorial Areas Districts (BTAD), which is run by an elected autonomous council.
“Suspected miscreants killed a man in Bhumka today (Monday). We are investigating and have picked up 12 people for questioning,” Inspector General of Police (BTAD) G.P. Singh told IANS.
Singh said the incident was an isolated one and added that the situation is under control.
Some of the protesters had also blockaded railway lines at some places in the district but police dispersed them, he said.
Earlier, an alert had been sounded in Kokrajhar Friday after a man was shot dead at Badugaon under Gosaigaon police station Friday and another died after being attacked with sharp weapons the same day.
Following the incidents, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had asked the civil and police administrations to deal with the situation firmly and to ensure that such incidents did not recur.
Gogoi had also directed top officials of Assam Police, including the director general of police, to beef up security and to take firm action against those indulging in violence.
Kokrajhar district, along with neighbouring Baksa and Dhubri, had witnessed major violence between Bodos and Bengali-speaking Muslim settlers earlier this year that led to the killing of over 100 people and displaced over four lakh people.
Over 30,000 people, who were displaced during the violence, are still living in relief camps awaiting rehabilitation.
Tags: Guwahati
Posted in National | No Comments »
Written by admin on 10 November 2012
Guwahati, Nov 10 (IANS) Four months after a teenage girl was molested in the city July 9, the Assam Police have launched a special all-women’s force to tackle crime against women in the state.
The force, christened Veerangana (women warriors), will be deployed in Assam’s principal city immediately and across the state in a phased manner.
Director General of Assam Police J.N. Choudhury, who took the salute of the first company of the force here Friday evening, said it would patrol the city, check crimes against women and act as decoys to thwart incidents against women.
On July 9, some youth molested and stripped a teenage girl after as she came out with her fiends from a restaurant-cum-bar in the busy G.S. Road in Guwahati. The incident created a country-wide furore after the molestation’s video clip was circulated and the visuals went on the Internet.
After the incident, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had said that the state government would raise a special force to tackle the crime against women.
Choudhury said that the 100 personnel of the Veerangana were trained in martial arts and arms besides driving motorcycle and cars.
“All the 100 members of the company have undergone rigorous training under the supervision of expert commando trainers at the Dergaon Police Training College in Assam for three months,” Choudhury said.
He added that out of the 100, 16 were underwent advanced commando training from the Tamil Nadu Police in Chennai for 15 days.
“We have undergone rigorous training for three months. We have also been trained to restrain any kind of assault. We are told that out primary responsibility would be to keep strict vigil on crime against women,” said Rashmi Kakati (name changed), a cadre of the Veerangana.
The new force has raised great expectations as Guwahati has registered a sharp rise in crime against women recently.
The force is also likely to boost the police force in the city, which has few women personnel.
Tags: Guwahati
Posted in National | No Comments »
Written by admin on 10 November 2012
Guwahati, Nov 10 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi Saturday admitted that there was corruption in almost every department of his government and stressed on correcting the system.
The three-time Assam chief minister was addressing a press conference in his office in state capital Dispur Saturday.
“I have never said that there is no corruption. There are corruptions in almost all the departments. We need to check the system to stop corruption,” said Gogoi, while adding that his government is stressing e-governance, RTI Act, decentralization of power and peoples empowerment to check corruption.
On asked about the movement of India Against Corruption (IAC), Gogoi said that he supports any movement against corruption but not the one being undertaken by the IAC.
“The IAC’s movement against corruption is also supported by corrupt people,” said the chief minister, while adding that such movement led by individual groups is also politically motivated.
Gogoi also took a shot at the recent public rally in Guwahati participated by anti-graft leader Anna Hazare and said that the organisers must monitor who is funding the events – whether they are also corrupt businessmen.
“Newspaper reports say that about 20,000 people participated in the rally organised by Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS). I have nothing to say if the farmers came on their own for the rally. If they came on their own, it implies that the conditions of the farmers are really good in Assam,” Gogoi quipped.
He said while Akhil Gogoi (leader of the KMSS) is trying to help the farmers of the state through movement, the government is doing that by adopting farmer friendly policies.
“These policies have also reduced inequalities among the people in the state,” he said.
Gogoi pointed out that the state had achieved a growth rate (Gross State Domestic Product) of 8.42 percent in last ten years, which is also higher than the country’s overall growth rate – 6.88 percent.
The chief minister also said that his government is mooting to launch a state nutrition mission to tackle the problems of anaemia and malnutrition, found among the women and children of Assam.
“It is not that the condition has not improved in Assam regarding anaemia and malnutrition. But we are still lagging behind compared to all-India average. We are planning to launch a state nutrition mission soon, where women and children will be the thrust area,” said Gogoi, while adding that the government has decided to tie up with UNICEF for implementing the proposed mission.
Tags: Assam, Guwahati
Posted in Business, National | No Comments »
Written by admin on 09 November 2012
Guwahati, Nov 9 (IANS) Assam Chief minister Tarun Gogoi Friday said he was all for a mutually acceptable solution to the Assam-Nagaland boundary row.
He said his government would extend all support to people of both states so that they could sit together and hammer out a formula to resolve the age-old dispute.
The assurance by the chief minister came after an eight-member team of the Assam-Nagaland Goodwill Team called on him and sought suggestions for the resolution of the boundary dispute amicably and peacefully, outside the jurisdiction of the apex court.
Gogoi, while lauding the attempt of the Goodwill Team, said he would be happy if the people of both states decided to resolve the border row amicably.
“I would be only too happy if the people of both sides sit together and arrive at a mutual understanding. Mutual resolution of any problem is the best solution. Our government will extend all support and cooperation to such initiatives,” he said.
He pointed out that despite border problems, Assam had good relations with Nagaland, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh.
“The matter should be resolved outside the court with both sides arriving at a mutually agreed solution through give and take. Towards this end, we have the blessings of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio (of Nagaland) and various organisations,” said a member of the Goodwill Team Tali Longkunar, while interacting with Chief Minister Gogoi.
The Goodwill Team members also pointed out that the border dispute should be resolved mutually and amicably in the greater interests of the region as a whole.
They handed over to Gogoi a copy of the agreement signed in 1993 by then chief ministers of Assam and Nagaland, Hiteswar Saikia and S.C. Jamir, respectively, in which they had mutually agreed on a number of decisions on the border row and requested him to give ‘emphasis’ to it.
The Goodwill Team said talks had also been initiated with organisations like Asom Sahitya Sabha (ASS) and All Assam Students Union (Aasu) for a peaceful and satisfactory resolution of the border dispute.
A member of the group expressed the hope that a resolution of the border dispute would go a long way in boosting economic development of the region.
Tags: Assam, Guwahati
Posted in Business, National | No Comments »
