Crucial NFP, DAN meetings today
Kohima: Even as political crisis in Nagaland continues, two crucial meetings of the ruling Naga People’s Front (NPF) and Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) have been called today. Nagaland Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Kiyanilie Peseyie has convened a meet of the NPF Legislature party at 11 am while Chief Minister T R Zeliang has called a meeting of the DAN Legislature Party members at 12 noon. All members of NPF and DAN have been requested to attend the meeting except the nine suspended NPF MLAs. Both the meetings assume significance as the internal political crisis within the NPF has been stretching for more than two-weeks. The political crisis within the ruling NPF started on January 5 with 22 of its legislators openly revolting against Zeliang demanding change of leadership. Extending support to then Minister for Industries and Commerce G Kaito Aye, the dissident NPF MLAs have been claiming to have majority on their side with 22 out of the 38 NPF MLAs in the House of 60, supporting the new leadership. They have staked claim asking the Governor P B Acharya for removal of the minority government led by Zeliang and to install the Kaito-led majority government. The state cabinet on January 15 had recommended summoning a special session of the Assembly on January 20 so that the incumbent Chief Minister can prove the strength. (PTI)
5 killed, 40 injured in road mishap
Rangiya (Assam): Five persons were killed and 40 others injured when a bus in which they were travelling collided with a truck in Assam’s Kamrup (Rural) district on Tuesday, police said. The speeding bus, travelling from Guwahati to Jaleswar in Goalpara district, collided with a truck coming from the opposite direction on National Highway 37 at Shakhati near Boko killing four persons on the spot, they said. A woman, identified as Bulu Rabha, succumbed to her injuries on way to the hospital while the injured, with most in a critical condition, have been rushed to the Guwahati Medical College Hospital. The bus has been completely damaged, sources added. (PTI)
Man arrested on extortion charge
Itanagar: A man was arrested on the charge of extorting money from Oling Gao, a native of Sika-Bameng area in East Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh. East Siang district Superintendent of Police Devender Arya said the arrested person has been identified as Odang Boro of Udalguri in Assam. Gao had lodged a complaint on January 13, stating that he had received a call from an unknown person demanding Rs 5 lakh in cash, and that the extortionist threatened to kidnap him if he failed to cough up the money. However, based on intelligence inputs and support of local people, Sille-Oyan PS OC M Bori along with ASIs A Jamoh and DK Pait and others launched a search operation in Jampani, Kemi-Mukh and Oyan Chariali areas, and nabbed the extortionist from Kemi-Mukh on Saturday. The police have recovered an identity card (as a carpenter) from the accused, issued by the Assam Rifles, Khonsa. (PTI)
Two elephants killed by poachers
Itanagar: Two wild elephants were killed and a calf was captured allegedly by poachers near Siluk village in Pasighat forest division of East Siang district in Arunachal Pradesh. The decomposed bodies of two elephants were found on Saturday by a team of Eco Development Committee (EDC) members of Mebo area, who have been associated with the forest department for protection of wildlife in the area, officials said on Monday. The EDC members, following a tip-off from local villagers, searched for the elephant carcasses in the deep forest near Siluk village and recovered two decomposed bodies in close stretch aside Ngopok-Siluk PWD road, State Wildlife Board (SWB) member John Apum said. The EDC members observed the broken skull of the slain elephants suspected to be killed by hunters for the tusks, he said. According to local people, the herd of elephants from Poba Reserve Forest and Daying Ering Wildlife Sanctuary often arrives at Siluk area during December every year. (PTI)
Man found smuggling Gecko lizards, held
Guwahati: Fifteen Gecko lizards which were being smuggled outside the country were seized from a person at Guwahati railway station on Monday, GRP sources said. Acting on a tip-off, GRP personnel apprehended a person identified as Sanjay Ray (36) along with the Geckos from 15636 Dwarka Express on platform number 7 of the station, the sources said. The lizards were kept in a suitcase by Sanjay, who hails from from Kolkata and came here from Tripura by bus Sunday night. He was travelling to Siliguri by the train, they said. Sanjay confessed to GRP that he was taking the Geckos to Nepal for smuggling them to China where they fetch large sums of money in the grey market, the sources said. (PTI)