News

AGARTALA, March 16—The Left Front government in Tripura unveiled a two-pronged new policy to tackle militancy in the state, on Saturday, reports PTI. Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said the policy would try to solve the problems leading to extremism and at the same time mount pressure on militants “refusing to listen to reason”.

The state government would implement a 25-point tribal development package to achieve a tangible improvement in the quality of life and economy in interior tribal areas, he said. He renewed his appeal to militants to shun the path of violence and join the mainstream for...

SILCHAR, March 17— Shifting cultivation, which is popularly known as jhum cultivation, is one of the best agricultural practices of the world, admitted Arup Rai, a specialist in this field and an assistant soil conservation officer of North Cachar Hills district, while talking to this correspondent, and said that it is a very cheap mode of cultivation because there is no need of using any artificial fertilizer and irrigation system and a farmer can produce 30 -35 items of kitchen vegetables through it.

He is in favour of continuing the jhum cultivation in the hills and requested the jhumias...

Imphal, March 17: Chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh today said the Manipur government would give priority to surrendered militants in the recruitment of personnel for the proposed Third India Reserve Battalion, as part of its policy to rehabilitate them.

He, however, did not say when the recruitment would take place.

The government’s decision follows a threat by the surrendered militants to resume their agitation if the government fails to rehabilitate them.

Ibobi Singh informed the House that at present there were 92 former insurgents under government care and that most of them had outlived...

AIZAWL, March 16 — Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga, who has been involved in the Naga peace process, today said that the NSCN(I-M) leaders might come to Aizawl from Bangkok to hold talks with him. Talking to reporters at his official residence here, Zoramthanga, who has just returned from Bangkok after holding talks with Naga rebel leaders and some of North-east insurgent groups, said that there was a likelihood of the NSCN leaders meeting him in Aizawl. Commenting his latest meeting with NSCN(I-M) leaders, including its chairman Issac Chishi Swu in Bangkok, he said, “I thought this was the...

GUWAHATI, March 16— At least six persons were killed and several dozens more were injured, 12 of them seriously, this afternoon when the banned ULFA detonated a powerful remote-controlled improvised explosive device (IED) at Bamunghopa, under Goalpara police station in lower Assam. The ULFA, observing its ‘Sainik Divas’ today, drew the blood of innocent civilians while targeting a CRPF van coming from Bangaigaon towards Guwahati. The civilians were passengers of a private bus (AMP 893) on its way to Baguwan from Goalpara. The blast was triggered at about 4 pm on National Highway-37 when the...