12 more Myanmarese held in Tripura
Agartala: The influx of Myanmarese into India through Bangladesh continues, with 12 more, including a woman, being held for illegally entering Tripura, police said on Thursday.
With this, 95 Myanmarese, comprising Rohingya Muslims and Buddhist tribals, seeking jobs in India have crossed over to Tripura from Bangladesh since mid-2011.
“Acting on a tip-off, the Assam-bound 12 Myanmarese were arrested by the Tripura police at Mungiakami on the Assam-Agartala national highway, 40 km north from Agartala, late Wednesday night,” a police spokesman said.
“The detainees told the police they were going to Silchar (in southern Assam) in search of jobs,” the police officer said.
“All the foreign nationals are Rohingya Muslims who entered Tripura illegally through unfenced Sonamura border from eastern Bangladesh,” he added.
On Thursday, the Myanmarese nationals were presented before a local court, which sent them to 14 days’ judicial custody. The illegal entrants would be sent to Bangladesh after completion of legal formalities, the police official said. (IANS)
Three killed in Assam group clash
Dhubri (Assam): Three persons were killed in lower Assam’s Dhubri district on Friday following a clash between two groups over the issue of alleged misuse of government funds. The two groups had clashed over some dispute regarding utilisation of government funds released for developing the anganwadi centre at Patakata village in the South Salmara block of the district, police said. The three killed were identified as Hafizur Rahman, Abdul Sabbar and Hala Mia, they said, adding that they were attacked by sharp weapons. Police rushed to the place and the situation in the area has been brought under control. The hunt is on to nab the miscreants, they said. (PTI)
Mizoram orchids rechristened
Aizawl: Several orchids found in Mizoram, not having Mizo names, are being rechristened. Mizoram-grown orchids are being compiled in a book with fine pictures to popularise them across the world. A special programme for rechristening Mizoram’s orchids was held today at Hla Kungpui Mual (or poets’ square) at Khawbung near Myanmar border in Champhai district where a sanctuary of orchids has been established. Khawbung-based forests ranger officer (RO) Lalthazuala, who spoke at the ceremony, informed that the sanctuary is now home to 34 different species of orchids. ‘It is being developed to house all species of orchids found in Mizoram,’ he said. Expressing concern over the smuggling of wild orchids into neighboring Myanmar, the forest official said, different species of orchids found in Mizoram were also found in northern Thailand which could mean that orchids smuggled from Mizoram found their way into Thailand. Mizoram State Planning Board member secretary P L Thanga, who attended the ceremony, also given a Mizo name to a species of orchid Thunia Alba as Zomawi. Mizoram has a wide spectrum of orchids growing from the lower elevations to the high hills. (UNI)
