Itanagar: The Nyishi community- the largest tribe in Arunachal Pradesh, on Saturday took out a protest march–Itanagar Angtu” (Itanagar Chalo) to protest the alleged failure of state government to act against some derogatory remarks against the community.

The march started from Doimukh in Nirjuli and ended at Indira Gandhi Park here and was followed by a public meeting.

Organised by the Nyishi Elite Society (NES) and All Nyishi Students’ Union (ANSU), the rally was taken out to demonstrate the strength of Nyishi community which was shown allegedly in bad lights in recent publications of some leading news papers and to protest the state government’s failure to act against the derogatory remarks against the community.

The NES and ANSU had also decided to call a 36-hour bandh on October 12-13 next in support of their demand.

Addressing the mass gathering, NES president Bengia Tolum while terming the present government as anti-Nyishi claimed that Chief Minister Jarbom Gamlin created anti-Nyishi wave and continued to do anti-Nyishi activities.

”We were compelled to take out the rally to rejuvenate ourselves,” the NES president.

Active forces were circulating anti-Galo SMS in the name of NES and trying to defame NES and personal character and reputation of the NES president, but NES had filed an FIR to book the culprits involved in such activities, Tolum informed.

”We have also appealed to the governor to direct the Chief Minister to resign as the present government could not protect the interest and image of the largest tribe of the state,” NES said.

Delegates from all corners of the state had turned up in the state capital to show their solidarity and express their indignation over the derogatory remarks and alleged failure of the government to solve the crisis. (UNI)

Itanagar: The All Capital Complex Youth Welfare Association (ACCYWA) has declared a 12-hour Capital complex bandh on October 10 to protest the government’s failure to handover NH-52(A) to BRTF for ensuring better road conditions in the capital complex.

The ACCYWA had organized a dharna on September 2 last in front of Raj Bhawan regarding the handing over on National Highway road to BRTF but till date there has been no response by the Public Works Department and Urban Development Minister, according to a release here on Saturday. It informed that the association has got enough documents to organise democratic movements against the PWD department.

The officers of the department had submitted 5 times Detailed Project Report (DPR) amounting to Rs 284 crore to head of the authority since few years and 2/4 laning of Banderdewa-Itanagar section of NH-52(A) has also been announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2008 to the State whereas the authority concerned is not taking interest of the road condition, the release added.

Meanwhile, the Nyishi Elite Society (NES) and All Nyishi Students Union (ANSU) have also announced to call 36-hour bandh on October 12-13 next in support of their demand in Nyishi inhabited districts areas of East Kameng, papum Pare, Lower Subansir, Upper Subansiri and Kurung Kumey districts.

NES and ANSU have also appealed to State Governor (Retd) General J J Singh to direct Chief Minister Jarbom Gamlin to resign from the post as the present government could not protect the interest and image of the largest tribe of the State. (UNI)

Guwahati: Exposing the lack of safety of vehicles and drivers on national highways, a driver of a trailer and 10 new Maruti cars have been missing since the last 20 days after entering Assam through the Srerampur gate last month.

The trailer, which was also initially missing from Bhawanipur, Barpeta, was finally located at Dergaon, Jorhat, but no trace of the driver, Rameshwar Singh, or the vehicles have been found. ”We have approached the police and also lodged an FIR. But we are yet to get any results,” Prabin Singh, a partner of Assam Logistics Ltd, the company that owned the trailer, said at a press conference here today.

He said the trailer was carrying 10 new Maruti cars, valued close to Rs 30 lakh, from Maneswar, Haryana, to Silchar. The last reading of the GPS fitted in the trailer positioned it at Bhawanipur on September 20, after which the trailer was found at Dergaon seven days later.

”We found the trailer in an empty condition. Whereabouts of the driver is also not know,” Mr Singh added. Besides the cars, the GPS machine and hydraulic motor of the trailer was also missing. Incidents of drivers being assaulted or killed and vehicles taken away from national highways are regularly reported from across the state. Though both police and taxi and truck drivers themselves have also tried to ensure better security measures, all attempts have proven to be mostly futile. (UNI)

Kohima: More than forty international musicians along with Naga counterparts would perform live today at Dimapur District Sports Complex Stadium.

Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio would be the chief patron.

Musicians have converged from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and USA.

Addressing the media at Dimapur yesterday, the international musicians, after a three-day workshop, said they were privileged to have come to Nagaland and witness the rich Naga culture.

They observed that Naga musicians were talented and had the ability to connect with the hearts of the people and urged Nagas to spread their music and culture to the world.

The musicians were also of the opinion that Nagaland has a huge potential for artists and that the government should build prospects for quality education in music and promote it by creating an environment through which music can build up. They were also overwhelmed by the friendly nature of the Nagas and the organic way of life, they said.

The musicians who would be performing at the grand finale are Per Oddvar Hildre, music director from Norway; T.C. Hawkins, Jazz gospel soloist from USA; Hayden Powell from UK would be playing trumpet, Per Arild from Norway on piano, Jan Inge Melseter from Norway on Trombone and a 40 members choir from Scandinavia and 40 members from Nagaland. Musicians from Nagaland include Rovi Sangma on drums, Moa Yaden on bass and Sosang Longkumer on guitar. (UNI)

Aizawl: Lalzika was still a young boy when he heard a thunderous sound in the sky over his native village at North Vanlaiphai in southeastern Mizoram about 67 years ago.

”Instantly bombs and bullets fell from the sky like hails,” the 80-year-old recounted how the government hospital in his village was attacked from the sky by the Japanese force on March 28, 1944.

The hospital and its adjacent doctor’s quarters are believed to be the only structures in Mizoram that still bear the scars of the World War-II.

According to R L Buatsaiha, a headmaster of government-run Oriental Middle School in the village, six Japanese jet fighters attacked the hospital towards the end of the Second World War for reasons unknown till today.

Buatsaiha (63) has documented the terrifying incident by interviewing people who had eye-witnessed the aerial attacks. Most of the persons whom he had interviewed have now passed away.

”Six bombs were dropped, which meant that each jet fighter dropped a bomb. Going by the empty cartridges recovered from the site in the aftermath of the attacks, the jet fighters also swept the place with machine guns,” Buatsaiha said.

However, luckily no one died in the attack despite the fact that there five patients were lying on the hospital beds at the time of the attack, he said.

The hospital’s quarters was damaged beyond repair. Luckily, the doctor was on a holiday at that time, otherwise, he could surely have died, said Buatsaiha.

Till recently, the ground near the hospital had still had holes following the bombings.

”But, the holes have now been filled with soil by the owners of the land. The bullet holes in the hospital and the doctor’s quarters are the only remaining testimony to the forgotten attack during the Second World War,” Buatsaiha said.

No one why the Japanese wanted to attack the hospital, that reportedly bore no Red Cross mark.

”A British army officer was coming to North Vanlaiphai a few days before the attack. That was what most of the persons whom I had interviewed believed as the cause of the Japanese attacks,” the school headmaster said. The British army officer was staying at a bungalow at a nearby village, they said.

People of North Vanlaiphai wanted to preserve the hospital as one of the state’s heritage.

”The building, commissioned in 1913, itself is a heritage as it is one of the oldest buildings built during the British time. The government should declare it a heritage building,” he said. INTACH Mizoram chapter, the source said, has not taken any step to preserve the building which currently serves as a primary health centre manned by a single doctor and a few nurses. (UNI)

Kohima: Along with the rest of the country, Kiphire also observed the RTI Week on Friday with a seminar on the Right To Information Act, 2005.

According to official sources here today the seminar commenced with a brief overview of the RTI Act at the Deputy Commissioner’s (DC) Conference Hall with all the schools, college and church leaders invited in celebration of the RTI week from 5th to 12th October, 2011.

The EAC and Assistant Principal Information Officer (APIO) of Kiphire, Namang Sepong Chang said the main objective of providing information is not only to promote transparency and accountability but also to ensure the participation of the people in all matters related to governance. (UNI)

Agartala: Jamiat Ulema e-Hind, the apex body of Muslims, has accused the Left Front government in Tripura of victimizing Suyeb Malik, a resident of Agartala, in killing of Papai Saha who was allegedly shot dead by Tripura State Rifles (TSR) jawans on July 11.

In a statement Hind Tripura unit president Mufti Taibur Rahaman alleged that TSR jawans had opened fire on a protest rally of the Congress party and unruly TSR personnel shot dead innocent Papai Saha (21) on the street in broad daylight in front of his brother and neighbours.

Suyeb Malik was arrested two months after the incident for allegedly killing Papai, though several investigating agencies, including Police Accountability Commission, had accused TSR of opening unprovoked firing on the agitators and killing of Papai.

Moreover, the elder brother of the deceased registered a case against the TSR stating that the jawans had shot dead Papai besides, opening indiscriminate fire on the Congress agitators and accordingly the state government offered cash compensation and government job to the victim’s family.

Ulema leaders complained that the arrest of Suyeb was a ”deep-rooted conspiracy of the LF government to save the accused TSR jawans and turn the investigation a different way”. They demanded a CBI probe into the incident.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Ratan Nath threatened to launch a statewide agitation for a judicial inquiry into ‘police atrocities’ on Congress workers, civilians and journalists on July 10 last and ‘unprovoked firing’ on the protest rally and killing of Papai Saha. (UNI)

IED, revolver found in Assam

Guwahati: An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and a revolver were found from Dhekiabari village near Krishnai in Assam’s Goalpara district during a late night raid by security agencies on Friday.

The raid was carried out by a joint team of police, army and CRPF in the village, based on a tip off.

A two-kg IED was dug out from a banana tree grove in the village and a revolver and gun-making materials were found at the house of one Kulen Rabha.

Police have apprehended Rabha and interrogation was on to ascertain if the explosives belonged to any militant outfit. (UNI)

Prohibitory orders imposed in Imphal

Imphal: Prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPC has been promulgated in Imphal West from 1800 hrs today, apprehending a serious breach of peace.

District Magistrate of Imphal West N Ashok Kumar said there was a possibility of serious breach of peace, disturbances to public tranquility and grave danger to human lives and properties because of the unlawful activities of some anti-social elements for furtherance of their evil designs. (UNI)

RPF jawan arrested with illegal arms

Guwahati: A Railway Protection Force jawan was arrested here on Saturday for allegedly carrying illegal arms, police said. Amrit Kumar Rana was arrested by GRP from the railway station while he was boarding the Ernakulam Express. One 9 mm pistol, two magazines and nine rounds of ammunition were recovered from his possession, police said. (UNI)

Mizoram to enact law to prevent drug abuse

Aizawl: Mizoram Government on Saturday decided to enact a law to combat the rampant drug abuse along with intensifying execution of the existing anit-drug acts in the state. The decion was taken in the consultation meeting on control of drugs which was presided by the Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, an official release said. (PTI)

Militant killed in encounter

Imphal: A militant of the United National Liberation Front was killed in an encounter with security personnel in Bishenpur district, official sources said on Friday. The deceased was identified as Y Seitabal alias Ingobi(35) of Mayang Imphal area in Imphal west district was killed in the encounter last night, the sources said.

One 9mm pistol with some live rounds were seized from the deceased person. (UNI)

Man found dead in hotel

Guwahati: A visitor from Kerala was found dead in a hotel room here on Saturday while another person accompanying him was absconding, the police said. The dead person, identified as N Rabindran, had checked into the hotel at Paltan Bazar on Friday night along with another person, Rajiban. Rajiban, was missing, sources said. Police have launched a massive hunt for Rajiban. (PTI)