Fire destroys Mount Everest conqueror’s house
Itanagar: A fire completely gutted the residence of Mount Everest conqueror Tine Meena, at Roing in lower Dibang Valley district of Arunachal Pradesh, police said on Friday. The fire broke out on Thursday and razed the house to ashes within minutes, police said. No loss of life was reported but property worth lakhs of rupees were destroyed in the fire. The fire destroyed Mena’s passport, cameras, laptop, all her summit certificates including the one she had earned for scaling Mt Everest, they said. Her mountaineering equipment worth lakhs of rupees were also reduced to ashes, said police. Mena was away shooting for a documentary film in Nizamghat near Dibang river when the incident took place. Her cousin Lokha Elapra said that fire broke out when Mena’s father was about to leave for work, police said. “He saw smoke billowing from the roof. He rushed back but by then fire had engulfed the whole house. Mena’s father suffered serious burn injury in hands when he tried to save precious belongings,” Elapra said. (PTI)
PPA to demand ownership rights to people of Arunachal
Itanagar: The People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) will launch a mass movement across the state to demand ownership rights of the people of Arunachal Pradesh over their natural and cultural resources. The decision was taken following a discussion at the party’s headquarters here on Friday, party president Nikh Kamin informed in a statement. “Unlike Nagaland, which has been given special status and control over its cultural and land resources under Article 371 (A), Arunachal has been deprived of similar rights,” he said. “Arunachal is placed under Article 371 (H) wherein the rich resources of the state, including its jungles, land and culture, do not belong to the Arunachalees but to the Centre,” Kamin added. (PTI)
IRB havildar suspended for beating up journalist in Manipur
Imphal: A havildar of the India Reserve Battalion (IRB) has been suspended over his alleged assault on a journalist of a local English daily earlier this week, police said on Friday. Md Majibur Rahman was placed under suspension with effect from February 11 by an order issued by the commandant of the 1st IRB for allegedly beating up Aribam Chaoba alias Dhananjoy, a senior journalist of ‘Imphal Free Press’ on the night of February 10. A departmental inquiry will be held into the incident, police said. Chaoba was beaten up allegedly by the havildar while returning home at around 11.30 P.M. after duty, at the Kangla Northern Gate area here. In his FIR, Chaoba has said that even after showing his identity card, he was accused of being a ‘thief’ moving around late at night by Rahman, who then went on to beat him up. The Additional Director General of Police (Armed Police) has in an order issued yesterday asked Manipur Rifles, IRBs and state forces “to ensure that men on duty are polite and firm in dealing with the general public.” All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union (AMWJU) President W Shamjai told reporters yesterday that they would be filing a case in court seeking justice for Chaoba. Various civil society organisations, including students’ bodies, have condemned the incident and demanded action against the IRB havildar. (PTI)
Rally against extortion
Kohima: A public rally was held at Chumukedima town against extortion by various groups in Nagaland, especially in Dimapur district. The rally was initiated by Chumukedima Chamber of Commerce and Trade Association (CCCTA) on Thursday and decided to pay tax to the government and not to pay any extortion to any group, sources said. The rally also decided to expel any businessman or shopkeeper within Chumukedima jurisdiction who pays money on the sly to Naga political groups. Convenor of Action Committee Against Unauthorised Taxation (ACAUT) Joel Nilo Kath urged the government to take steps to curb the menace of extortion. (PTI)