News

GUWAHATI, May 8 – Guwahati, the gateway to the North-east, is fast turning out to be its crime capital as well, if the developments in the recent past are any indication. With its rapid expansion in terms of size and population, the city has witnessed a spurt in the number of crimes, including murder. But even more worrying is the fact that many of the murders have left the police clueless, with the culprits still at large. Swanomoyee Devi (98) of Jyotinagar was murdered on December 15, 2003 in broad daylight and her belongings, including a Maruti car, stolen. Success still eludes police...

GUWAHATI, May 8 – The State Forest Department has extended its afforestation drive for the city — Seuj Prakalpa — to cover the entire State. It will now encompass 23 other districts where a total of 23 lakh saplings will be planted. Started a year ago with the objective of bestowing a green cover on the city and mitigating its complex problems of flash floods and soil erosion, the project has so far planted six lakh saplings as against the target of ten lakh. Now, this too has been revised to 12 lakhs.

“We regard this as a good implementation rate, considering the constraints any first-time...

Guwahati, May 7: The Assam government today ordered a probe to determine why textbooks meant for free distribution among students had failed to reach the respective schools. The move comes at a time when the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) has launched a monthlong agitation, demanding streamlining of the education system.

Education minister Pankaj Bora told newspersons here that he had deputed 17 officers in the rank of deputy director from the headquarters to the districts “to fix responsibilities and detect discrepancies and ascertain why the books have not reached the schools”.

“I have...

Silchar, May 7: Militant Dima Halam Daogah (DHD) has denied reaching an agreement with the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) to create fresh trouble in south Assam. The North Cachar Hills- based militant outfit, in a one-page statement faxed to The Telegraph here, said no such understanding was reached with the Bodo outfit, as alleged by Karbi Anglong deputy commissioner Anurag Goel.

In the statement, one Dao Raja, who identified himself as the publicity secretary of the outfit, said, “Since the DHD is observing a ceasefire with the authorities in North Cachar, there is no scope for...

Imphal, May 7: The army has moved into Sajik Tampak, a small valley in Chandel district that was home to militants belonging to various outfits till April. The insurgents have been displaced from this strategically located valley, not far from the Indo-Myanmar border. Army troops and armoured vehicles have consolidated their positions in the zone.

A full brigade headquarters has been inaugurated at Chakpikarong in Chandel district, 87 km from Imphal. The army has made it clear that it would establish a permanent base here to control activities of militant organisations in Chandel district as...