2 NDFB(S) militants killed in encounter
Kokrajhar: Two NDFB (Sonbijit) militants were shot dead in an encounter with a joint team of army and police in Assam’s Kokrajhar district near the inter-state border with Bengal, police sources said on Thursday. On a tip-off about the presence of a group of the outfit to kidnap picnic revellers, the security team launched an operation to nab them at Bongaon under Gossaigaon police station yesterday, they said. The ultras exchanged fire with the security forces and two extremists were killed on the spot, the sources said. A 9-mm pistol, two grenades and a magazine were recovered from the slain insurgents identified as Pranab Basumatary and Sailen Basumatary. Combing operations were launched to track out the other militants who fled away, the sources added. (PTI)
Son of an Assam PSC member arrested for cyber crime
Rangiya (Assam): A youth, son of an Assam Public Service Commission member, was arrested on Thursday for allegedly posting pornographic pictures of a girl, police said. The youth, identified as Sajedur Rahman, was picked up from his home here and a laptop, mobile and a SIM card were seized by the CID officials. The youth had allegedly uploaded the pictures of the girl on a website in June last following which the victim filed a case against him. Sajedur Rahman is the son of Assam Public Service Commission member Samadur Rahman. Meanwhile, a camera person was assaulted by unidentified motorcycle borne assailants in this connection and an FIR has been lodged. Media persons today protested against the incident by wearing black badges and demanded arrest of the assailants within 24 hours. (PTI)
Militants explode bomb at railway construction site
Imphal: A powerful bomb hurled by the militants exploded at the construction site of a railway line at Nungba area in interior Manipur’s Tamenglong district but no casualty was reported, police said here on Thursday. The militants exploded the bomb late last evening, damaging tyre of a vehicle parked near the construction site. No individual or group has claimed responsibility for the incident. Official reports from the district said that some hill-based organisations had earlier warned not to go ahead with the construction of any Centre-sponsored project at hill districts of Manipur. They wanted a separate administrative unit for the hill districts of the state, sources said. (PTI)
Cases against women and children on the rise in Manipur
Imphal: Altogether 15 cases of crime against women and children including murders of three women and a 12-year-boy have been reported in the first week of this year in Manipur, an NGO claimed here on Thursday. Speaking to mediapersons here, United NGOs Mission (UNM) M Sobita said the government should do something to prevent crime against the women and children. Official sources confirmed the number of crimes against the women and children stating that all efforts were being made to prevent such crimes. Urging the government to book the culprits immediately, Sobita said two rape cases were among the 15 crimes and wanted the government to come out with concrete plan to deal with such cases. (PTI)
Three deaths in Assam Tea estate
Dibrugarh: A couple was hacked to death and a woman lynched in Ethelwood Tea Estate area in upper Assam’s Dibrugarh town, police said on Thursday. One Laxmi Munda (60) went to the house of Sanjib Bhakta (31) and Dipika Bhakta, employees of the tea garden, on Wednesday and accused their five-year old child of stealing, sources said. The couple later went to Laxmi’s house and had a heated arguement with her when her son Ajay Munda (25) attacked them with a machete seriously injuring them. Dipika succumbed to her wounds on way to the Assam Medical College Hospital here, while Sanjib died in hospital later in the night, sources said. Angered by the couple’s death, the people of the area this morning gheraoed Laxmi’s house and lynched her, sources said. Police has launched a search operation for Ajay and his wife absconding since their house was gheraoed. (PTI)
Militant leaders arrested in Guwahati, to be handed to Manipur
Imphal: Five leaders of a militant outfit Kangleipak Communist Party-Lamphel, including self-styled commander-in-chief of the group Ibomcha Singh who were arrested from Guwahati last week, will be handed over to Manipur police very soon, police said on Thursday. The five would be brought to Imphal by Manipur police after they were handed over by Assam police. The other four were identified as M Nabachandra Singh (publicity secretary) and senior leaders as M Mahen, M Rupa Singh and M Tu Singh. Sources said the five were allegedly involved in the extortion and other crimes.Official sources said KCP-Lamphel is one of the important organisations which have have been fighting for what it called ‘an independent Manipur’. (PTI)
ANLA linkman apprehended
Tezpur: An Adivasi National Liberation Army (ANLA) linkman was apprehended on Thursday in a joint operation by security forces in Assam’s Sonitpur district. Acting on a tip-off, a joint operation was launched by 12 Assam rifle, army intelligence and police and a linkman was nabbed from Nalinibasti Gopchar. The linkman was identified as Md Kamal Halder alias Tutu Ali and an Italian made 7.65 pistol, a magazine, six live ammunitions and mobile hand set were recovered from his possession, police said. (PTI)
Body of missing doctor found
Itanagar: The decomposed body of a doctor who went missing from Seppa in East Kameng district on December 20 was found from the confluence of Kameng and Bichom rivers, the police said on Thursday. The body of Dr Okit Peyang has been recovered on Tuesday after a gap of 18 days, the police said. A 24-member team including members from East Kameng Health Assistant Association led by elder brother of the deceased found the body inside a rock cave pushed by the river waves, sources said. After having formalities of post-mortem, his body was cremated at the river bank as the body was not fit to be taken back to his home town Tuting in Upper Siang district. (PTI)