Meet on gender equity,
media rights and safety held
Guwahati: A two-day women journalists conference on various gender equity issues concluded in Assam’s main city Guwahati on Saturday. Women journalists, both freshers and veterans, from various parts of the country, including the North Eastern states, participated in the conference. The meeting deliberated on ways to ensure greater gender equity in the media both in terms of working conditions of women in the media as well as portrayal and coverage of women and related issues by the media. It also discussed at length rights of the media and safety issues, particularly in the context of women journalists. The conference was organised by South Asia Media Solidarity Network and International Federation of Journalists. (UNI)
Abducted man rescued
Kohima: Dimapur Police rescued one person, who was abducted by some unknown people from Super Market area of Dimapur town on Thursday for ransom and arrested three persons in this connection. According to official sources the victim, identified as one Nuramin Haque, a mason, was rescued from a house at Purana bazaar area of Dimapur town yesterday, reportedly belonging to a GPRN/NSCN cadre, identified as Ato Aye (38) of Tichipami village, Zunheboto, who was also arrested, besides two accused identified as Rostum Ali (60) of Nagaon in Assam and his wife. Police said Rs 60,000 was demanded for the safe release of the kidnap victim, who was found with his hands and feet bound with ropes. A case of kidnapping for ransom was registered with Dimapur East Police Station, sources said. (UNI)
Vegetable ‘syndicate’ busted
Kohima: Dimapur police have arrested two people and busted a syndicate of the vegetable dealership syndicate, who were taking ‘commission’ of vegetables to be supplied throughout Nagaland. According to official sources, the accused confessed they collected illegal taxes from all the retailers dealing in vegetables. They also confessed that proceeds of the illegal tax collected were handed over to the syndicate, which was allegedly run under the patronage of some senior underground functionaries. Incriminating documents along with list of shops and tax collection records were seized from the possession of the two accused, sources said, adding it was being investigated. Sources also said that a case was registered in this connection and was investigating the involvement of the other accused of the syndicate. (UNI)
Proposed Nagaland bandh deferred
Kohima: The Action Committee Against Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) has decided to keep in abeyance the proposed state-wide bandh on June 10 for a few days as the NSCN-IM leaders expressed its inability to find solutions at such a short period. NSCN leaders defended their right to tax people, but admitted their shortcomings on the taxation front and sought time fix the issue, a press release issued by Action Committee convenor Ntsemo Ngullie said. The Action Committee has requested both consumers and businessmen to be patient. Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Friday had requested the Centre to make strong policy to provide sustenance for the Naga underground groups engaged in ceasefire and peace talks with the government so that the tax burden did not fall upon the general public. (PTI)
One killed, 10 injured in accident
Rangia: One person was killed and 10 others, including a woman, seriously injured when a mini truck collided with a van on the Indo-Bhutan international road in lower Assam’s Kamrup district tonight, police sources said. The two vehicles collided on a bridge at Korera under Rangia police station around 8.30 pm throwing the mini truck’s driver into the canal below, while one of the passengers – Niranjan Pal – died on the spot, the sources said. (PTI)
Two killed by wild elephants
Guwahati: Two persons were killed by a herd of wild elephants along the Indo-Bhutan border in Assam’s Udalguri district on Sunday, official sources said. A herd of wild elephants came down from the neighbouring forests in Bhutan and damaged several houses killing two persons on the spot in Koramura Tea Estate along the border. The two persons have been identified as Jonath Tete and Chandra Das and their bodies have been sent for postmortem, the sources added. (PTI)