9,637 people found to be HIV positive in Mizoram
Aizawl:At least 9,637 people in Mizoram have been found to be HIV-positive while 587 AIDS patients died in the state in the last 24 years, according to Mizoram State AIDS Control Society. MSACS officials told PTI that 2,97,375 blood samples have been tested since October 1990 till October this year. The officials said that while the number of new infections decreased considerably, the change in the mode of transmission was disturbing. “During the early years, intravenous drug users and sex workers were the high risk groups, but things have changed over the past years,” they said, adding that as of now, an alarming 68.85 per cent of HIV positives got infected through unprotected sexual intercourse. Students staged demonstrations on the streets as the World AIDS Day was observed here with placards reading – “Getting to Zero – Zero Infection, Zero Discrimination & Zero Death”, the theme of the World AIDS Day 2014. (PTI)
Looters decamps with entire ATM in Dimapur
Kohima:In a daring robbery looters decamped with an ATM, the cash vending machine, in Dimapur on Sunday. Police on Monday said the robbery occurred barely a day after the SBI ATM located at Fellowship colony of Dimapur town, was refilled with cash, which reportedly contained around Rs 20 lakhs. Sources said the robbery was discovered around 4:30 am yesterday by a police patrol team making the rounds in the area. The entire ATM set was dislodged and taken away, including its inbuilt computer and closed circuit security camera, leaving the police with no leads whatsoever. According to the sources, the inbuilt computer recorded transactions and stored images captured by the security camera. The ATM said to be weighing somewhere between 200-300 kgs. Surprisingly, the sources said the machine was not secured to the ground as is normally done. Its only security was a rolling shutter and an RCC structure housing it. (UNI)
BSF seizes fake currency notes worth Rs 5.13 lakh
Silchar:Troops of BSF’s Mizoram and Cachar Frontier seized fake Indian currency notes worth Rs 5.13 lakhs in the current year. This was revealed by Dinesh Kumar Upadhyaya, inspector general of BSF’s Mizoram and Cachar Frontier on Monday. Addressing mediapersons here, Upadhyaya also said the border guards under its operational areas including Barak Valley areas of Assam, Mizoram and Manipur apprehended 61 smugglers and miscreants, seized 49 cattle heads, 33.7 kgs of ganja, 32 kgs of pseudoephedrine tablets, 112,000 numbers of meth amphetamine tablets, 364 grams of heroin and 2451 bottles of phensedyl.Besides this five underground militants surrendered before the BSF during the current year. The BSF IG said the border guards under its area of operation also seized a number of arms and ammunitions including five M 16 assault rifles etc.BSF’s Mizoram and Cachar Frontier celebrated the forces’ golden jubilee during the day in Silchar. Upadhyaya said there’s no report of jehadi activities in this part of Assam and in Mizoram. This frontier of BSF is responsible for guarding 464.62 kms of international border with Bangladesh and Myanmar including 135.100 kms land and 329.520 kms riverine. (UNI)
Divorced Mizo women now entitled to inherit property
Aizawl: Divorced Mizo women are now entitled to inherit property and protected from being divorced at the will of their husbands under the newly enacted Mizo Marriage, Divorce and Inheritance of Property Act, 2014. The Act which disbands the customary law of the strictly patriarchal Mizo society, allows divorced women to inherit property and also protects them from being divorced by their husbands at their will. The Act was enacted in the Assembly session which ended on November 26. The Lushai Hills District (Amendment) Bill, 2014 was also passed in the Assembly providing reservation for women in the elections to the village councils. President of the All Mizoram Women Federation (AMWF), Jane R Ralte, on Monday thanked the state government for enacting the laws and said it would reform the society by reducing divorce rates and reducing the number of orphans in the state. “We have sent letters to CM Lal Thanhawla, Law Minister Lalsawta and Local Administration Minister P C Lalthanliana thanking them for the enacting the two laws,” Ralte said. (PTI)
School bus overturns, student hurt in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh: A student of a private school was injured when the school bus veered off the road and overturned at Ganapavaram Village in Tripurantakam Mandal of Prakasham District on Monday. Police said the bus belonging to Kerala Public School, was carrying about 25 students to the school. When the bus reached Sitarama Milk Dairy, the driver lost control of the vehicle, which veered off the road and overturned. P Anjani Kumar (5), a student, was injured in the mishap. After being treated in a local hospital, he was shifted to GGH in Guntur as he sustained serious injury. The police arrested the bus driver. (UNI)
Tourism to be developed to counter Extremism : Govt
imphal: Spurred by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s observation on Sunday, the government said it would develop tourism as an effective tool to contain extremism and special efforts would be made to promote Northeastern States as a major tourism destination. Union Culture and Tourism Minister Dr Mahesh Sharma said in a statement on Monday that Tourism Ministry would make special efforts to promote Northeastern States as a major tourism destination of the country. The Minister was referring to the announcement made by the Prime Minister in the closing ceremony of Sangai Tourism festival in Imphal on Sunday. “Northeast has a great potential to be developed as an important tourist destination due to its varied flora and fauna. Tourism can make significant contribution to the economic development of the region,” he said. He said he would soon visit the Northeast to discuss various tourism related issues with the concerned States. (UNI)