Shillong, Jan. 27: The Centre has decided to give Meghalaya an additional police force of the India Reserve Battalion. The battalion, with a strength of 1,000, will be the fifth in the state. State home ministry sources said the recent spurt in killings and abductions in the Garo Hills was the main reason why the Centre gave Meghalaya the Republic Day gift. Meghalaya director-general of police L. Sailo said currently there are two CRPF battalions and three operational police battalions, located in the East Khasi Hills, the Garo Hills and the West Khasi Hills.

?We have insufficient manpower...

Imphal, January 27: The Village Chief Association of Nungba has expressed its heartfelt gratitude to the SPF Ministry for signing the MoU for early construction of Tipaimukh dam and stated that it has been the long cherished dream of the people of Manipur particularly the people of Tipaimukh and Nungba, where the dam is to be constructed. The people of these most backward and neglected areas will have a chance to see the light of development and modern civilization with the construction of the Tipaimukh dam, Nungba Sub-Division Village Council, chairman KP Meirijin and secretary Tingkaolung...

Agartala, Jan. 27: Blood stained Tripura?s run-up to the Assembly elections with suspected militants killing 11 supporters of the ruling CPM and their family members after picking them out from a non-tribal area. The massacre occurred last night in West Tripura?s Bankim Nagar, 30 km from Agartala, despite security alerts about possible militant strikes on or before Republic Day.

The CPM had also appealed to the Election Commission last week to step up security arrangements in Tripura in the wake of attacks on party workers.

The commission today asked the states, including Tripura, Nagaland...

Margherita, Jan. 27: Dancing in ?Singpholand?, at large in Upper Assam. This is precisely what many visitors from Canada, China and Southeast Asia are looking forward to next month.

They will give a headstart to the annual festival of the Singphos, beginning here on February 13. ?People from China, Thailand, Myanmar and South Asian countries will be among the revellers,? said Rajesh Singpho, member of the organising committee of the Shapawan Yawng Manau Poi, the ?national festival? of the tribe.

?A group of tourists from Canada have contacted us, expressing their desire to be here during the...

Shillong, Jan. 27: Music, both traditional and western, has often been a key feature of electioneering in Meghalaya. But the Nationalist Congress Party?s latest innovation ? release of an audio cassette in praise of Purno A. Sangma ? has created ripples, especially among rural voters in Garo Hills.

The album, Chadambe Chasong Gitalrang (Youth of the new generation), ?very musically? appeals to the voters to vote the party to power.

?It is a different experience to hear such good Garo songs and that too on elections,? said Balsa Marak as she sang a line from the title song, P.A. Sangma...