GUWAHATI, April 12: Apprehensive of losing face before the elections, the Asom Gana Parishad-led government is sitting on a police report which says there is "conclusive evidence" of senior minister Rajendra Mushahary raping an 18-year-old tribal girl last year. The report was prepared by the Kokrajhar superintendent of police and submitted to the additional director-general of police (criminal investigation department) in November. The SP, who has since been replaced, named Mushahary as the "prime accused" in the case and sought permission from the state government to arrest him. He said a...

GUWAHATI, April 12: Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), president, Ashok Singhal today said unabated infiltration to Northeast region was a part of political conspiracy to change the demographic pattern in the region. Addressing a press conference here, Singhal demanded that the government should immediately defranchise the large number of illegal migrants who have infiltrated the region over the years. He, however, suggested that Hindus coming from Bangladesh should not be treated as illegal migrants but as refugees as they were forced to leave Muslim-domimated Bangladesh for declining to undergo...

NEW DELHI, April 12: The AGP-BJP alliance today claimed its first casualty with the ruling Regional Party's sitting Jonai MLA, Pradan Baruah here today joining the opposition Congress party in protest over the poll pact. The AGP MLA's induction into the Congress party came even as the party's central screening committee (CSC) today completed its preliminary sitting , clearing one-third of the candidates for the forthcoming Assembly polls. Congress party leadership here claimed that Baruah might not be the lone such case, as they have been flooded with feelers from 'disgruntled' elements...

ITANAGAR, April 11: Arunachal Pradesh Education Minister Dera Natung has said efforts will be made to develop a script for all tribes of the State, reports PTI. Speaking at a meeting where 'Tani Lipi,' a script developed by a senior government officer and linguist, Tony Koyu, was introduced, Natung said on Monday it was a memorable occasion that the State was inching towards a common State language. The Minister recommended that the meeting pass a resolution adopting Tani Lipi for all tribes of the State not having a script of their own, 'subject to the willingness of each respective tribe.'...

IMPHAL, April 11: A tremor of moderate intensity rocked the Northeast India and neighbouring Myanmar at 0338 hours with its epicentre at Churachandpur. According to the data recorded by the Seismological Observatory located at the Manipur University, the magnitude has been recorded at 5.2 on the Richter scale. The first motion arrival time of the shock was recorded at 3 hr. 38 min. 36:59 seconds, and the origin time of the shock is estimated to be 3 hr. 38 min. 18 sec. (IST). The epicentre is located at Sinzang-Kaihlam-Umtal region of Churachandpur district (24?N latitude and 94.4?E longitude)...