Public hearing on Lakhimpur incident
Lakhimpur (Assam): A public hearing was held today into the death of a woman after she was thrown out of a tempo taxi at Boginadi in Lakhimpur district, but the post mortem report has established she was not raped. An eye witness at the hearing by Kadam Revenue Circle Officer Dhrubajyoti Hazarika, under whose jurisdiction Boginadi falls, identified Raju Chetia, who has been arrested. Uma Kanta Gogoi, the eye witness said, he saw the woman with head injuries and her sari intact lying on the road with her purse and mobile phone by her side and some currency notes strewn around on November 22. The driver of the tempo was short, was wearing a yellow shirt, while two others in it were about six feet tall and another was very short, the eye witness recounted. He also identified Raju Chetia, who has told interrogators that he and the woman were in a relationship for the last two years, but denied that he was involved in her death. Chetia was arrested on November 28 under section IPC 302 (murder), 376 (rape) and 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent to secretly and wrongfully confine person). Meanwhile, the Asom Gana Parishad Mahila Morcha district unit staged a dharna before the DC’s office demanding a probe into the cause of the woman’s death. (PTI)
Tripura man arrested 37 years after he stole Rs.840
Agartala: A man has been arrested in Tripura 37 years after he stole Rs.840, police said here Saturday. Abinash Das, 57, alias Sadhu was arrested by officials from the Airport police station near Agartala from his house at Narayanpur in western Tripura Friday night, a police spokesman said. Police Saturday presented the accused before a court, which sent him to 14 days police custody. Das was absconding for the past 37 years after he had stolen Rs.840 from a neighbour. (IANS)
Python found near NH-31
Rangiya (Assam): A python, measuring 10 feet and weighing more than 20 kgs, was found today in a bush near National Highway 31 in Assam’s Kamrup district, forest officials said here. The python was spotted by the local people in a bush at Balagaon area 31 and they captured it with the help of some labourers. The python was later handed over to North Kamrup forest division personnel and they released it into the wild, sources added. (PTI)
Tea garden employee kidnapped
Tezpur (Assam): A tea garden employee was allegedly abducted from Dafflagarh in Sonitpur district, leading to protests by locals. According to the police, four miscreants armed with pistols Friday night kidnapped Pradip Lahon (32), an employee of Dafflagarh tea estate from the garden premises. Although no organisation has claimed responsibility for the act, police suspects this is done by Birsa Commando Force, said district SP Arabinda Kalita. “Police has continued its operation in the area to rescue the abducted person. Besides, a camp of Assam police battalion will be established at Dafflagarh tea estate for maintaining law and order situation of the remote area from tomorrow,” Kalita added. Meanwhile, local people on Saturday blocked for three hours the road that connects Gohpur and Arunachal Pradesh at Tetonbari demanding immediate release and rescue of Lahon. (PTI)
Nagaland Hornbill Festival to begin on Sunday
Kohima: The 50th Nagaland Statehood coinciding with the Nagaland Hornbill Festival will begin on Sunday at its permanent venue at the Naga Heritage Village Kisama, about 12 Kms from here. President Pranab Mukherjee, who has already arrived here from Doimukh in Arunachal Pradesh, will inaugurate the Golden Jubilee celebration of the statehood and the ten-day long Nagaland Hornbill Festival at Kisama at 1025 hrs. The Nagaland Hornbill Festival is a showcase of tradition and culture of all Naga tribes, which will perform cultural extravaganza and traditional dances, along with the indigenous games, including wrestling. Besides, there will be Hornbill International Rock Contest, Hornbill International Musical Festival, North East Cultural Day, Hornbill Charity Concert-cum-Ball for the aids of Philippines victims, Hornbill Master Chef Competition, 1st Hornbill Snooker Championship, Hornbill National Dance Competition, Miss Nagaland Contest, Hornbill Annual Cycle Rally, Kids Carnival, ‘Glocal’ (Glocal) Film Fest Vintage World War II Motor Rally, International Car Rally and many other competitions. (UNI)