News

GUWAHATI, Feb 22— Though Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi recently assured the Bodo leaders to form the interim council of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) by March 10, the whole process is likely to be delayed because of some legal complications. The Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) leaders including the chairman of the outfit Hagrama Basumatary, vice chairman Kamal Mushahary and Publicity Secretary Mainao Daimary, along with Member of Parliament Urkhau Gwra Brahma and All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) president Rabiram Narzary yesterday met the Union Home Secretary at New Delhi to discuss matters...

Guwahati, Feb. 21: A metal ring with the inscription “Hiddensee Germania EA096970” has opened a new window for ornithologists of the Northeast studying the migratory route of the large Indian kite.

For two years, birdwatchers in Assam and Manipur have been trying to find out the migratory route of the avian species — also known as the black-eared kite of the Milvius Lineatus (gray).

When a kite wearing the ring with the words “Hiddensee Germania EA096970” landed in Manipur in October 2001, it had avian experts of the region hunting for the place of its origin.

The breakthrough came from a...

Imphal, Febuary 21: Taking serious concern at the high incidence of rape of women by the security personnel with virtual impunity in Manipur, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed with the Gauhati High Court, Imphal Bench today by taking up the case of one Meinam Bina Devi who was raped by a personnel of 25 Assam Rifles on Oct 6, 2001 at Luwangshangbam Matai Mamang Leikai. The PIL was jointly filed by Babloo Loitongbam, executive director of Human Rights Alert and Nonibala Devi Yengkhom, co-ordinator of Human Rights Law Network (Manipur Unit). The petition strongly contended that...

Guwahati, Feb. 21: Jailed Ulfa vice-chairman Pradip Gogoi, during his testimony at the fast track court, today denied that the outfit’s central committee had taken any decision to assassinate social worker Sanjoy Ghose.

The CBI named Gogoi a witness in the case as he was underground when the Ulfa abducted Ghose, general secretary of the Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD), on July 4, 1997. Ghose was later reportedly killed on Majuli island in Jorhat district.

Gogoi said he had no knowledge about the killing as he was in the political and not the armed wing of Ulfa...

GOSSAIGAON, Feb 20 – The people of Gossaigaon civil sub-division have expressed satisfaction over the North East Frontier railway authorities’ sympathetic attitude for sanctioning ‘model railway station’ at Gossaigaon. As per information available here, the chief commercial manager, NEF railway Guwahati vide official notification No. C/555/0-53/PL/Pt-II dated 15 January 2003, informed the local MLA Prof Hamendra Nath Brahma that after close examination of the earlier memorandum submitted by him (MLA) the railway authority has sanctioned ‘model station’ at Gossaigaon instead of Srirampur. It...