Shillong, Jan. 28: Environment activists and several wildlife organisations have demanded a proper investigation into the death of four elephants near Belguri along the Assam-Meghalaya border on January 18.

Four elephants died after colliding with an electric pole near Belguri village under West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya. All four were electrocuted on the spot. Forest department officials later declared the death of the four elephants as an accident.

However, Shillong based-environment activists refuse to buy the forest department argument. ?It is not convincing and we are sure...

Guwahati, Jan. 27: A last-ditch attempt by moderates in the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) to avert a contest between party president Brindaban Goswami and challenger Prafulla Kumar Mahanta faded tonight with both leaders sticking to their decision to slug it out at the three-day annual conference, beginning in Tezpur tomorrow.

One of the AGP leaders involved in the exercise said the idea was to put party unity ahead of personal ambition with the Lok Sabha poll being just round the corner.

However, neither Goswami nor Mahanta reportedly considered the proposal to withdraw from the race for the top...

Nagaon, Jan. 27: The anti-talks faction of the militant United People?s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) today announced a campaign against ?outsiders? engaged in agriculture in the twin Assam districts of Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills.

The Karbi Anglong and N.C. Hills People?s Resistance, which is the armed wing of the militant group, said it would not spare anybody found encroaching upon tribal-owned land. It barred transportation of agricultural produce from the twin districts to outside the region.

The Kuki tribe is believed to be the prime target of the Karbi militant group?s campaign...

Nagaon, Jan. 27: Karbi literature will take a big step towards universal recognition tomorrow when the first novel in the tribal language is released. Authored by Lunse Timung, Kanthop Tang Angne (Bitter Hatred) holds a mirror to the Karbi tribe, whose conflict with the Kuki community has kept Karbi Anglong tense for several months now.

The writer today said he could not have hoped for a bigger stage ? the inaugural session of the Karbi Lamet Amai?s annual conference in Diphu ? to release the pioneering novel.

It will actually be a double celebration for patrons of tribal literature with...

Guwahati, Jan. 25: The BJP ruled out an electoral alliance with the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) before the regional party?s think tank could sit down to decide whether to revive a relationship that benefited neither in the 2001 Assembly poll.

Assam BJP president Indramoni Bora today said his party would go solo in all but one of the 14 Lok Sabha constituencies of the state. The decision was taken during the two-day conclave of the executive committee.

The AGP, too, is reportedly not keen on a new alliance with the BJP, but an official decision on this has been kept in abeyance because of the...