Amnesty International demands investigation into lynching
Guwahati:Amnesty International India on Saturday demanded that the incident of lynching of the rape accused in Nagaland must be investigated and members of the mob should be brought to justice. “This is a serious lapse in the criminal justice system and the Nagaland government must ensure that every person who was part of the mob is brought to justice,” Amnesty International India Programmes Director Shemeer Babu said. “Failure to do so will send the message that anyone can commit outrageous abuses and attempt to justify them as an expression of public anger. “Nagaland authorities must uphold the rule of law. Violence against women needs to be tackled with swift and effective responses from the state, not with barbarism by self-appointed vigilantes,” Babu said. Syed Farid Khan had been arrested on suspicion of raping a woman in Dimapur on February 24 and remanded to judicial custody in the Dimapur Central Jail the next day. On March 5, a mob broke into the jail, dragged him out, stripped him naked, beat him up, pelted him with stones and dragged him towards the centre of Dimapur town, seven kilometres away. He died from his injuries along the way after which the mob dragged his body to a clock tower and displayed it. (PTI)
NSCN(K) cadre, two others arrested
Kohima:Three persons, including a cadre of the NSCN(Khaplang) was arrested by the police, senior police officers said on Saturday. Acting on a tip off that some unknown miscreants were demanding money at the Keditsu Complex near the PR Hill here, the Mobile Unit of the District Executive Force (DEF) caught a NSCN(K) cadre who was identified as Tokivi Aye and his two accomplices Hotoshe Chophy and Kiboka while exhorting a sum of Rs 7,000 from the a shop keeper, the police said. A criminal case was registered the trio was remanded to police custody for interrogation and further investigation, the police added. (PTI)
3 held, rhino horn seized
Nagaon:Three persons were arrested and a rhino horn was seized from their possession in Assam’s Nagaon district, police said on Saturday. Acting on a tip-off, police arrested the trio from Juria area of the district and seized the rhino horn from them last night. The arrested have been identified as Abdul Samad, Asar Ali and Nasir Uddin while another person, Akbar Ali, is absconding. The poaching of rhino in the state in past several months had triggered concern among conservationists and others. (PTI)
Four of family injured in leopard attack
Jorhat: Four members of a family were seriously injured after being attacked by a leopard near a river bank in Assam’s Jorhat district on Saturday, a senior police officer said. The four persons had gone to the river bank at Neematighat to collect hay and vegetables when they were attacked by the leopard, the officer said. The four have been admitted to the Jorhat Medical College Hospital and their condition is stated to be critical. Two of them were later referred to Assam Medical College Hospital, Dibrugarh, the officer said. The injured have been identified as Bokul Das, Dhoniram Das, Moina Das and Mohan Das. The area was adjacent to the river and is frequented by wild animals like elephant, leopard, deer, wild boar for drinking water, officials of Jorhat Forest Division said. (PTI)
Colourful Yaoshang celebrations in Manipur
Imphal:The third day of the five-day Yaoshang (Holi) celebrations was marked with cultural, sports and religious activities. Life comes to a complete halt for five days with educational institutes, business esta-blishments and government offices remaining closed. Publication of newspapers has also stopped as there were no distributors. Governor KK Paul said, ‘Holi is a celebration symbolising the rejuvenation of the very spirit of life and the young and the old alike take part in this festival of colours. The festival is marked by fun and gaiety imbued with spiritualism, leaving behind the past and looking forward to a new day with full of hope. (UNI)
Left leader Parijat passes away
Imphal: Senior leader of the Communist Party of India(CPI), Pheiroijam Parijat Singh 72 passed away on Friday after a brief illness at his residence at Nongada, Imphal East district. Parijat was one of the senior most Left leader who served as Health and civil Supplies Minister.Political leaders, supporters paid floral tribute to the mortal remains of the CPI leader at his residence. (UNI)