Politics / Assam

GUWAHATI, Feb 8 – The Army has denied involvement in the rape case at Nayamati under Misamari police station as reported in a section of the Press recently. A Defence press release said here that the charge is an attempt to tarnish the image of the Army in the eyes of public. The release further said that on February 4 one Betet Koch was apprehended by the Army for possession of illegal arms following which a group of local Bodo women approached the army for his release, failing which they threatened to lodge a rape charge. It is a nefarious design of the militants to malign the image of the...

GUWAHATI, Feb 8— Adviser of All Bodo Students Union (ABSU), U G Brahma has stated that formation of Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) to solve the Bodo problem and rehabilitation of riot-hit Adivasi people are two separate issues which should not be mixed up by any quarter. Talking to The Assam Tribune from Kokrajhar over phone today, the ABSU leader in response to opposition aired by Adivasi Cobra Militant of Assam (ACMA) to formation of the BTC before taking concrete steps for rehabilitation and protection of rights of Adivasis living in Bodoland areas, said that ABSU was prepared to...

GUWAHATI, Feb 7 — The Adivasi Cobra Militant of Assam, a militant group operating in lower Assam, has extended its unilateral ceasefire following a discussion with the Chief Minister, Sri Tarun Gogoi. The militant group which was constituted in 1996 to protect the Adivasi people living in several camps of lower Assam, had announced an unilateral ceasefire on September 15, 2001.

Addressing a joint press conference here today, the self-styled chairman and commander-in-chief (C-in-C) of the militant outfit Xabrias Khalha and Kanhu Murmu respectively said that the State Government had assured all...

TEZPUR, Feb 6 — The alleged rape of a 25-year-old woman by Army jawans during a search operation has created a furore is the human right circles of Sonitpur district. According to sources, the troops of 13 Rajput Regiment stationed at Missamari Cantonment in Sonitpur district during a raid on February 3, allegedly raped the woman, who had given birth to a baby 15 days ago, after severely beating her husband Pettern Rajbongshi of Nayamati under Missamari Police Station. The alleged victim was examined at Tezpur Kanaklata Civil Hospital and her statement was recorded by a magistrate. Meanwhile...

NEW DELHI, Feb 5 – Rifts have surfaced in the ruling Congress party in Assam, with a section of leaders lodging complaints with the party high command against a section of senior leaders alleging their involvement with SULFA men in running coal syndicates. With the uncertainty over the next expansion lingering and three Rajya Sabha seats falling vacant, restless Congressmen have begun to mount campaigns against one another, so much so that at least two delegations of Congressmen in the recent past have met the AICC president, Sonia Gandhi, to complaint about the alleged nexus between...

GUWAHATI, Feb 4 : The State government has entrusted the Chief Vigilance Commissioner, Assam, with the job of investigating into the large-scale financial irregularities in the Assam Livestock and Poultry Corporation. This was disclosed by the Veterinary Minister, Sri Hem Prakash Narayan today. Addressing a press conference here today, Sri Narayan said that a case has also been registered with the vigilance and anti-corruption branch of the Assam police in this regard.

Sri Narayan said that large-scale financial irregularities over the years have crippled the corporation. He expressed the...

GUWAHATI, Feb 4 : The security agencies apprehend more acts of violence by militants belonging to the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) in the days to come. Security sources told this correspondent here today that according to information available, the NDFB may step up its acts of violence to thwart the move to create the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) as the outfit is the view that it would be isolated if the BTC is formed. Sources said that some movement of the NDFB militants were reported along the areas boarding Bhutan, but it...

GUWAHATI, Feb 3 – A huge sum of central fund granted for the Integrated Tribal Development Projects (ITDPs) has been diverted by the state government. The funds meant for the development of the poor tribal people had been spent for disbursement of the salaries by the previous AGP-led government which affected the schemes of the IRDPs. The state government had set up 19 ITDPs in order to carry forward welfare schemes for the tribal people, but due to shortage of funds, the ITDPs are now facing severe problems.

According to official statistics since 1998-2000, the state government had released...

KOKRAJHAR, Feb 3 — The State government has ordered a magisterial enquiry into the brutal killings of five villagers in Kokrajhar district yesterday. Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Home, Sri Pradyut Bordoloi accompanied by Lower Assam Commissioner, Sri P P Verma visited the area to take stock of the situation. Sri Bordoloi assured the people that the State government would take all possible steps to find out the fact.

Today, hundreds of people in the locality took out a procession with playcards and demanded punishment against the people involved in the brutal killings. They also...

GUWAHATI, Feb 2 – In their continued attack on non-Bodos, National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) militants killed five persons in lower Assam’s Kokrajhar district today. Official sources said five persons of Nepali-origin had gone to the Chirang reserve forest near Ultapani to collect firewoods when the militants shot and killed them on the spot.