Abducted engineer released
Kajalgaon (Assam): Power Grid Corporation Limited engineer B Angan Raowho, who was abducted on December 22 by suspected NDFB(S) militants, was on Tuesday released in Assam’s Chirang district, police said. The engineer was released near a bridge in Rowmari area under Dhaligaon police station of the district, Chirang Superintendent of Police Ranjan Bhuyan said. The police had stepped up search operations during the last few days and the persons who brought Rao left him at the spot and escaped. Rao was later picked up by patrolling police and taken to the hospital for medical examinations. The militants had abducted the engineer along with three others, who were later released, from Khairabari under Amguri police station while they were returning from work site. (PTI)
Arunachal Governor meets religious leaders
Itanagar: The secular spirit of Arunachal Pradesh was a unique feature, Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Nirbhay Sharma has said and called upon heads of religious institutions to uphold it. Addressing a ‘Sarva Dharma’ meeting at Raj Bhawan here on Monday evening, the governor asked religious heads to boost the spirit of brotherhood and eradicate social evils, official sources said here on Tuesday. Stating that drug abuse was destroying future generations, Sharma urged ‘Dharma Gurus’ to discuss it as a social responsibility toward them. (PTI)
Railway employee killed, three injured
Jorhat (Assam): A railway employee was killed and three others critically injured in a mishap in Assam’s Jorhat district on Tuesday. The railway track mechanics were working on track no 3 near Naukachari railway station under Mariani junction when the DN 125126 Dibrugarh-Kolkata Express came on the adjoining track and pulled the workers towards it killing one on the spot and seriously injuring three others, police said. The dead has been identified as Girkit Majhi and the injured as Bittu Das, Montu Deka and Gopal Mandal who have been admitted to Jorhat Medical College Hospital. Train services was affected in the section for half an hour but it later resumed, railway sources said. (PTI)
Four arrested for carrying way ATM with Rs 32 lakh
Rangiya (Assam): Four persons have been arrested on Tuesday for their alleged involvement in carrying away an ATM machine along with Rs 32 lakh here in Assam’s Kamrup district, police said. A group of about eight persons, had allegedly taken away the ATM machine placed at Rangiya Murara Society on December 29th last. Four persons were apprehended from two villages – Sessa and Dihina under Hajo police station and Rs six lakh was recovered from their possession, the sources said. The police also recovered sophisticated equipments, two cylinders – a LPG and a CNG -, a dagger, two computers and a part of the LCD machine. The arrested have been identified as Farooq Ahmed, Noor Md Ali, Karuna Das and Robin Das. A hunt was on to arrest the others involved, police added. (PTI)
Two injured by herd of wild buffaloes
Jorhat (Assam): Two farmers were injured by a herd of wild buffaloes which has triggered panic among villagers along the banks of the Brahmaputra in Upper Majuli river island of Assam’s Jorhat district on Monday. A herd of about 26 wild buffaloes, suspected to have strayed out of Dibru Saikhowa National Park, created panic among the villagers of Kolonibari, Meragorh and Gazing, official sources said The herd also attacked two farmers who were trying to chase them away and injured them. The farmers — Bhaity Payeng and Apung Milli — have been admitted to Assam Medical College in Dibrugarh for further treatment. The buffalo herd also damaged over 20 hectares of cultivated land. The forest department was monitoring the situation and trying to chase the herd towards Kaziranga National Park but the forest guards were finding it difficult to go near the herd as there were over six newborn calves among them. Earlier, two stray rhinos had created havoc in the island last week for several days but they were later chased back to Kaziranga National Park. (PTI)
ASCW organises workshop on Micro Credit
Guwahati: The Assam State Commission for Women in collaboration with National Commission for Women today organised a workshop on Micro Credit and the Role of Self Help Groups. The workshop highlighted the formation of Women’s Club and its importance in empowerment of women. A presentation on “Experience of Women Development Centre” on empowering self help groups through micro finance was made by Director of Women Development Centre Sister Betsy. NGOs and Self Help Groups from various districts of Assam along with representatives of Sub-Divisional Women Cell and District Women Cell attended the conference. Commissioner and Secretary of Social Welfare and Education Department Hemanga Kumar Sharma also highlighted the need for skill development for optimum use of human resource. The workshop was chaired by ASCW Chairperson Meera Barooah. (PTI)
Mizoram lokayukta by Feb 28 says minister
Aizawl: Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla is likely to convene a meeting of the council of ministers soon to establish Lokayukta in the state, Law Minister Lalsawta said on Monday. The minister said he did not see any reason why the state government would not be able to meet the February 28 deadline set by Congress High Command for establishment of a Lokayukta in the state. A meeting of Congress High Command and Congress-ruled chief ministers on December 27 has decided that Lokayukta will be established in the Congress-ruled states by February 28, he said. (PTI)
