Former Meghalaya Minister, wife abducted

Former Meghalaya Minister K. C. Boro was kidnapped by suspected NDFB ultras from Lakhipur in Goalpara district in Assam along with his wife. Boro was going to Tikrikilla, in Garo Hills when he, his wife and the driver of the vehicle, were abducted. The former minister, however, reached Tikrikilla safely. His driver is also understood to have been released. But the former minister’s wife is still under custody of the suspected militants giving rise to speculations that Boro has been released to raise the extortion demand made by the militant outfit. Assam Police have been alerted about the incident and a joint operation is on to rescue the wife of the former minister.

Two shot dead in Nagaland

Unidentified gunmen shot dead two Naga youths near Chakhesang Revival Church. Police recovered the bullet-riddled bodies and handed   them over to their families. The deceased, who had been identified, were drug addicts and peddlers. An attempt was made on one of them last year where he received bullet injuries. 

Bombs recovered

The Army recovered two   bombs and apprehended a MULTA member from the militant’s hideout at       Larkuchi under Mukalmua police station. Abdul Ali, the MULTA member, was aprehended on June 14    morning and a search of his hideout led to the recovery of the bombs. 

Book exhibition on medicinal plants

A two-day book exhibition on medicinal plants, health and environment, with a display of green plants and herbal products was held at Anini, headquarters of Debang valley district of Arunachal Pradesh. The programme was organized by the “herbs for better health”, a society devoted to promote health awareness through medicinal plants in Dibang Valley and Lohit, jointly with the Roing unit of Regional Research Laboratory Itanagar, the Society said in a release today. The highlight of the exhibition was display of live medicinal plants suitable to the conditions of higher altitude and for commercial cultivation.

PLA cadre arrested

One hardcore People’s Liberation Army(PLA) cadre was arrested from Loitang Mamang Leikai under Imphal West district. Acting on a tip-off, a team from the Imphal West district police picked up the cadre. No arms or ammunition had been recovered, police said. Meanwhile, the narcotics cell team of the police seized 774 grams of heroin powder from the possession of a person, police said adding that the estimated price was more than Rs 50,000 in the local market and Rs one crore in the international market.

One kg of opium seized

One kilogram of opium was seized from Soibam Leikai area of Manipur’s Imphal East district. A Police team seized the contraband during a raid in the area. The seizure was made from one person identified as Lenkhomang Khongsai of Samusong village.

NDFB warning to ABSU, BLT

The outlawed National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) has ‘warned’ the leaders of the All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) and members of the Boro Legislature Party and Parliamentarians who have been ‘carrying about their selfish political game plan through the use of their muscle power called the BTC.’ The outfit’s information and publicity secretary B Erakdao has accused the Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) and the army of perpetrating atrocities on “innocent Boro people.” In an e-mailed statement, Erakdao accused the Government of India of engaging itself in a conspiratorial agenda of “keeping the Boro people divided and fighting among themselves.” He accused the BLT and the Army of killing several people in Kokrajhar district in a “joint operation.” The militant leader said that after the BTC accord, the BLT has intensified its “brutality on their own blood brothers.”

Army high-handedness alleged

Tension prevails over the incident of alleged misbehaviour by some Army personnel with the adviser of Nalbari unit of the AASU Prabin Barban and torture of his brother. The AASU unit, through a press release informed that four personnel of the 24 Punjab Regiment of the Army arrived at the residence of the student leader at Nankarbhoira. They questioned Ajay Barman, the brother of Mr Barman, about ULFA and assaulted him physically. According to the allegation, the Army personnel also misbehaved with the mother and sister of Mr Barman.

Rs 51 lakh water supply scheme opened

A water supply scheme of  Rs 51.48 lakh was inaugurated at Dilkhush under Lakhipur subdivision of Cachar district recently. Dinesh Prasad Goala, Minister of PHE, Assam inaugurated the scheme and   said that various steps have  been initiated for overall development of Lakhipur subdivision. He said construction work for a bridge at Fulertal over river Barak will be started and survey for the purpose has been completed. Mr Goala said Rs 33 crore will be available from NEC for the bridge. The Minister said for development of infrastructure of Lakhipur subdivisional headquarters the district administration of Cachar has been asked to allot 200 bighas of land.

Surrendered HNLC ultras removed

Two surrendered militants enrolled in the Meghalaya police who were undergoing training in the Fourth Battalion have been asked to quit from the department for their “disobedient attitude”. The two former cadres of Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC)   had made a habit of defying   their superiors and frequently remaining absent in the training camp withoiut prior permission, police said. The auhorities asked them to leave the training camp after they were found missing from their camp for the third consecutive time. Police said their department   had find it difficult to handle   the situation in terms of implementing the surrendered package, specially the HNLC cadres.

NEC Chairman

With the post of Chairman of the North Eastern Council (NEC) lying vacant following the transfer of Assam Governor Lt Gen (retd) S. K. Sinha to Jammu and Kashmir, 14 names have been sent to New Delhi for selecting one of them. Confirming that 14 names have been forwarded from the NEC secretariat to the Centre, a senior official said that names of Governors, Chief Ministers, former bureaucrats and politicians from the North-East figured in the list.

ULFA man arrested, arms seized

ULFA cadre Sashi Doley alias Bhanu Doley and another person have been arrested by the Sonitpur police . The police recovered an AK-56 rifle and 70 rounds of ammunition, two magazines of AK-56 and one .56 Chinese pistol after a raid in Doley’s house at Rangajaan village under Gahpur police station. In another incident, the Bihali police has recovered one .315 rifle, eight rounds of ammunition, one magazine and one fire cell from the house of Tulsi Sahni in Kathanibari village. Police sources said the rifle belonged to a forest guard of the Kaziranga National Park.

NETA condemns killing of tea executives

The North Eastern Tea Association (NETA) has strongly condemned the brutal killing of two tea executives at Sapoi Tea Estate recently by the workers of the garden. The NETA urged the State Government to thwart any move of violence by the labour union in its bid to release the arrested accused. 

Manipur for CBI probe

Manipur Government decided to recommend for CBI investigation into the case of kidnapping and killing of businessman Manoj Kumar Sethi. A Government statement said the decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh who had earlier dismissed the opposition charge of involvment of a minister and government official in the incident. Sethi was kidnapped on April 23 and his body recovered on May 27. The underground Kanglei Yawol Kann Lup claimed that it had killed Sethi for not paying    ‘tax’ to the outfit for the past five years.

NDFB abducts 2 forest officials

Suspected NDFB militants abducted two assistant conservators of forest of western Assam circle area from Khuk-lung reserve forest. The kidnapped forest officials are Hamidur Hussain and Bodiuz Zaman. The forest officials were abducted while they were inspecting the boundary pillars work at Khuk-lung reserve forest just near the Indo-Bhutan border under Bijni subdivision.

Rs 3 cr released for Majuli eco-tourism

Having earmarked Rs 5 crore  for development of eco-tourism in river island Majuli, the Union Tourism Ministry has lately released over Rs 3 crore for infrastructure development. Moreover, the Delhi-based adviser of  National Mission for Bamboo Application, Pradip Srivastav is now trying to construct a replica village of the colourful ethnic tribes inhabiting the island.

No drug labs in Mizoram: Excise Dept

Mizoram Excise Department denied the existence of drug making laboratories in the State. The denial comes in the wake of a recent statement in Kolkata by R M Meena, Regional Director of Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB), Imphal, that the drug making laboratories in Mizoram was the result of rapid penetration of the Myanmarese drug cartel into the Indian territory. The statement was unfounded and lowered the images of drug law enforcing agencies of Mizoram, including the police and the customs, the statement said in a letter to Meena. The letter was signed by Lalbiakmawia Khiangte, Commissioner of State Excise, who also demanded an apology. 

Don’t hamper development work: Ibobi

Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh appealed to militants of various outfits not to hamper the development work in the State and stressed the need for a political dialogue for a peaceful solution to the insurgency problem. On the other hand people too should realise that time had come for wiping out militants from Manipur. “If you (militants) want to do Government contract work, you come out and do it openly after laying down arms,” he said at a conference in this interior village of Thoubal district. The militants should stop extorting money from the public, he said, adding developmental work in the State could not be implemented successfully because of the disruption from the underground members. Rajya Sabha member Rishang Keishing in his speech echoed Ibobi Singh.

Women arrested for immoral acts

Dimapur police have arrested ten sex workers from various hotels of the district. Acting on a specific  information, personnel of  the women police cell raided the hotels and arrested the sex workers who were mostly from neighbouring Assam and belonged to the minority and Nepali communities.

Kuldip Commission for fresh delimitation

The Delimitation Commission has assured to begin fresh delimitation work of the Assembly constituencies on the basis of the 60 existing constituencies as per the provisional 2001 census figures, according to its chairman Kuldip Singh. The chairman’s assurance was in response to a letter send by State PWD Minister Talo Mugli conveying that the proposed delimitation would affect five Niyishi-dominated districts of East Kameng, Upper and Lower Subansiri, Kurung Kumey and Papum Pare.

328 Meghalaya NGOs blacklisted

The Central Social Welfare Board has blacklisted a total of 328 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) of Meghalaya for “non-refund of loans and non-submission of accounts”. Garo Hills topped the list with 216 such defaulters while the Jaintia Hills ranked last with only NGOs. West Khasi Hills has 54 blacklisted NGOs, East Khasi Hills 32 and Ri-Bhoi has 19 such NGOs .

Army recruitment at Shillong

Recruitment in the Army as Havildar Education for batch 2004 will be held from August 11 at the Headquarters Recruiting Zone, Shillong. A written examination of the screened candidates who are found physically fit will be held at the recruiting centre.

MPs’ donation for KDSA infrastructure

Two Bodo MPs Sansuma K. Bwiswmuthiary and U. G. Brahma, with an aim to boost sports talents in Kokrajhar district, have announced to contribute Rs five lakh each for the construction of a pavilion in the Kokrajhar District Sports Association playground. Both the MPs announced this infrastructure package on        the concluding day of the 27th Sati Dev Inter-District Sub-junior Football.

BSDP scheme finalised

Scheme under Border Area Development Programme (BSDP) for the year 2003-2004 has been finalised for Mechuka, Pidi-Monigong and Kaying-Payum blocks bordering China. The amount of Rs 1.8 crore granted       annually by the Central Government under BADP will be utilised for need-based schemes giving special thrust to education, health and communication. The Speaker of Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly Tamiy Taga who hailed from the area, stressed that the development suld percolate to genuine border places.

Thakur visits NEDFi

Union Minister for Small Scale Industries and DoNER Dr. C. P. Thakur visited the NEDFi office recently and had discussion with CMD J P Saikia and senior officials of the organisation. A presentation on NEDFi, its various activities, a brief historical background of the region and its resources were presented to him. Mr Saikia apprised Dr Thakur about the potential of investment opportunities in the region and the efforts made by NEDFi to promote medicinal and aromatic plants cultivation- like patchouli, geranium etc. The CMD also submitted a memorandum for the improvement of mobile connectivity in the North-East.

Temple raided, inmates assaulted in Arunachal 

In what appeared to be a pre planned attack, a religious  place, Lingalaya Shiv Mandir and ashram, located along NH 52 A, was raided and the temple inmates Asha Mata ( Gamlin ) and her three assistants critically assaulted by a gang of 12 unidentified miscreants armed with dao,   iron rods and lathis. The assailants sneaked into the complex through a kitchen window and  after snapping the telephone line attacked the ashramites in their sleep. Asha Mata somehow managed to escape through the jungle behind the ashram to seek help of the people living near the river on the other side of the highway. Even though the miscreants had left after ransacking the temple and looting the ashram before any help could reach there, their modus operandi looked like it was carried out not with the motive of  looting alone.

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