Aizawl, Oct 30 : In spite of suffering its two worst electoral defeats in the past decade, there seems unlikely to be any change in the Mizo National Front leadership as the party heads for internal elections next month.
The party that ruled Mizoram for two consecutive terms between 1998 and 2008 was decimated in the 2008 state-wide elections and reduced to occupying just three of the assembly’s 40 seats. It slightly improved its tally in 2013 and won five seats.
Nevertheless, the main opposition party’s top five leaders have once again been nominated uncontested for the exact same posts they have been occupying by the party’s National Executive Meeting on Thursday at Aizawl.
Significantly, both Zoramthanga and Tawnluia were re-nominated without any contestants for the post of President and Senior Vice President respectively.
In a way, the uncontested nominations show the party’s continued deference for leaders who once spent two decades as guerilla fighters in a bid to win an independent country for Mizos in India, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
The other three leaders re-nominated on Thursday were not part of the MNF uprising, as it is often called, a period that saw an entire division of the Indian Army (assisted in the beginning by the IAF) move into present-day Mizoram to subjugate the separatist movement.
The re-nominations also shows the unchanged leadership preference of most senior party workers in spite of staring at the prospect of spending a decade out of power.
Of the top five, only one (former MP Vanlalzawma) is currently an MLA. he has been re-nominated to be Treasurer.
Three others — former CM Zoramthanga, former Home Minister Tawnluia and former Health Minister R Tlanghmingthanga — have lost two consecutive elections.
A fifth (former Education Minister Dr R Lalthangliana) lost, albeit by a margin of less than a hundred votes, to a first-time Congress candidate in last year’s assembly polls. He has been renominated as one of the two Vice Presidents, along with R Tlanghmingthanga.
Although it will remain open for other party leaders to contest against any of these five leaders before party elections take place on November 14, it appears unlikely that will be the case.
Insiders said a move to introduce the secret ballot system in the party polls was shot down after prolonged debate at Thursday’s meeting, meaning the mid-November elections will be decided by a show of hands once again.
Aizawl, Oct 30 : Rem Rem Enterprise, owned by Lalrindika, a contractor, of Aizawl had supplied 5,000 quintals of rice to Mizoram government which was stored at the FCI warehouse in Rangvamual near Aizawl, state food, civil supplies and consumer affairs minister John Rotluangliana today said.
Rotluangliana said that the contractor was appointed to procure 30,000 quintals of rice and the government would consider whether to procure more from the contractor.
The contractor supplied the rice to the state government at the rate of Rs 25 per kg.
Lalrindika, said that he procured the rice from Guwahati and might also procure good quality rice from Myanmar.
Mizoram government was compelled to procure rice from other sources than the FCI due to mega block caused by widening of railroad at the Lumding-Badarpur sector in Assam beginning from October one.
The centre's efforts to purchase rice from Myanmar ran into trouble as bids by prospective contractors were reportedly exorbitant.
Imphal, Oct 24 :
The Shillong BSF Mizo Brothers organized a felicitation programme in
honour of Mizo rock artist Rosangliana, popularly known as 'Zo Rock'
today at Lalchand, Shillong.
Singer-songwriter Rosangliana, one
of the most influential Mizo musicians of the present era will retire
from service, after a fruitful career with the Jazz Band of the Border
Security Force on Oct 31 .
Notwithstanding his retirement from
service, people of Zo descendants or 'Zo nahthlak' are expecting him to
continue to sway music lovers of the community, a statement said.
Rosangliana was born on October 10, 1957 at Khawkawn, a hamlet in Mizoram.
Music was in his blood since his childhood days.
His
efforts to realize his dream of becoming a music giant landed him at
the Jazz Band of Assam Rifles' music department in 1976.After a short
stint at the AR Jazz Band, Rosangliana began a career with the BSF in
July 1980 .
He was with the Jazz Band of 111 BN BSF Nagaland.
He was posted at IG HQ, BSF Shillong from 1991 till date.
Regardless of his old age, he continues to shake music lovers of the Zo descendants across the NE States.
He also made his presence felt even to neighbouring country, Myanmar.
To his credit, he has produced 12 music albums and 35 music videos.
He has written 115 songs.
He came out with his first album in 1991 from Rangoon.
The big success of the first album earned him the title 'Zo Rock' .
Married to Chingzahoih Gangte of Chiengkonpang, CCpur (Manipur) in 1984, the couple is blessed with five children.
During his remarkable career in the BSF, Rosangliana spared no efforts to take the Jazz Band to a higher plane.
His firm determination led him to achieve success in whatever projects he took up.
From a GD Constable, he will retire as a Sub-Inspector, it said.
The government has to create educational and employment avenues in the northeastern states.(Reuters/Adnan Abidi)
By Ragini Bhuyan
Everyone’s asking why.
There’s been another spate of crimes on northeast Indians this month—attacks on Manipuri students in Bangalore, on workers from Nagaland in Gurgaon, and the death of a young woman from Mizoram in Delhi.
But
we’ve been here before—and convened inquiries, commissions, and
reports. The results of the last time this happened—the so-called MP Bezbaruah committee report—had tangible solutions.
The problem is that nothing happened. Will this time be different?
The
report examines the rise in discrimination against migrants from
India’s northeastern states. The committee, which submitted its report
in July, was constituted by the government after a 19-year student from
Arunachal Pradesh, Nido Taniam, paid the price for his “chinky” looks
with his life. Ironically, Lajpat Nagar, the Delhi neighborhood where he
died, is an immigrant colony formed largely of Partition refugees, and
the country’s capital has been built on waves of migration.
“There
are two things—one is prejudice stemming from ignorance, which leads to
taunts and subtle discrimination. This can be combated over the long
term through cultural sensitization,” Bezbaruah said in an interview
with Quartz.
For the second problem—to deter violent crimes, his report suggests the following:
special police units to probe such crimes.
fast-track courts so justice is served.
cases should be disposed of in 90 days.
“If
criminals are dealt strong punishment, then it will not only be a
deterrent in the future, but will also send a signal to migrants from
the north east that the state is serious about their safety and well
being,” Bezbaruah said.
The need for quick redress can be illustrated by the recent verdict on the 2010 Dhaula Kuan rape case.
The case, which saw the gang rape of a call-center employee from
Manipur, took four years before the court pronounced those involved
guilty. The victim felt compelled to leave Delhi. Her father testified
to a national daily that for months, they received threatening calls
asking them to withdraw the case. The verdict came on the day three
Manipuri students were beaten up in Bangalore for not knowing how to
speak in the local language, Kannada.
The
Bezbaruah committee report has noted that Delhi exhibits the worst
discrimination among India’s metros. The answer might lie in the
numbers. The committee quoted a study which found that more than 400,000
people have migrated from the northeast between 2005 and 2010, with
Delhi being the preferred destination.
“There
has been a change in the profile of the migrants, which could be a
factor behind the rise in crimes. Earlier, it was mostly students. Now
many come to work in the lower rungs of the service sectors. Preference
for workers from the region in certain areas, like the hospitality
industry, has fed resentment in a certain section of the local
population,” Bezbaruah said. The report notes that many such workers
live in affordable areas, which are essentially urban villages, and
where their way of life comes into conflict with locals who are still
rooted in conservative traditions.
The
committee has called for amending section 153 of the Indian Penal Code
to include stringent punishment for racially-motivated crimes, and to
set up an implementation committee with civil society representatives in
the ministry of home affairs. IPS officer Robin Hibu, who assisted the
committee in its proceedings, has argued for an anti-racism law. “In
addition, there should be dedicated nodal officers in the ministry of
home affairs charged with the responsibility of monitoring crimes
against people from the region in all those metro cities which have
witnessed such crimes,” he said.
Though
Delhi Police has a special unit that looks into issues troubling
migrants from the region, Hibu points out that it is virtually
toothless. “It does not have the power to launch investigations nor can
it book FIRs,” he said.
Despite
assurances that the government is examining the report, many who were
consulted during its drafting are disappointed with the delay. “The
government should promulgate an ordnance at the earliest to deal with
such crimes. We need greater discussion about race crimes,” said Sanjoy
Hazarika, a veteran journalist and author of several books about the
northeast.
Kishalay
Bhattacharjee, another journalist from the region, argues that strong
policing and fast-track courts are only part of the solution. “There can
be silent discrimination … This could happen at work. The real
challenge involves changing mindsets. This will take a generation, so
the government should seriously look at cultural sensitization. They
could start with schools,” he said.
The
committee found that many crimes go unreported due to police apathy.
Taniam’s killing compelled writer Janice Pariat to “out” her own
experience of being attacked in Delhi years before. She wrote, “Many
post-colonial states, like India, have often become the bone of
contention of different groups to assert their pre-eminence over the
other.”
The government can do three things at the minimum:
start with strengthening law and order, and provide quick, legal redress
start a broader programme of sensitisation, whether that involves
the police, resident welfare associations, or outreach programmes in
schools and colleges.
spread the benefits of economic liberalisation. From Bihar onward,
India’s poorer eastern half suffers from infrastructure deficit, a lack
of industries, and educational and employment avenues. Lack of
development has fueled insurgency. The government has to create
educational and employment avenues in the northeastern states. It must
value its people—if it wants others to do the same.
Aizawl, Oct 23 : Mizoram launched captive farming in passion fruits under the RKVY and the state government's own New Land Use Policy.
The project captive farming in passion fruits for Tuikum cluster was launched by horticulture minister P C Lalthanliana during a function at Chhingchhip village today in presence of NLUP implementing board chairman and MLA, J H Rothuama and the beneficiaries.
The project will cover 612 beneficiaries (families) from ten villages - Khumtung, Baktawng Vengpui, Baktawng Tlangnuam, Chawilung, Chhingchhip Mualpui, Chhingchhip, Chhiahtlang, Hualtu, Hmuntha and Khawbel - under Serchhip district and one village Phulmawi under Aizawl district. The project will be undertaken by the state-owned corporation Mizoram Food and Allied Industries Corporation Ltd (MIFCO).
Rs 783.62 lakh has been allocated for the project, including Rs 521.12 lakh from RKVY and Rs 262.50 lakh from NLUP. Rs 15,000 has been deposited to bank account of each beneficiary as first installment. Each beneficiary will receive Rs 35,000 worth wire mesh in November.
Based on their performance, the beneficiaries will receive further installments of financial assistance, an official statement said. Meanwhile, the state government has sanctioned Rs 27.80 lakh (Rs 133 lakh for salaries and Rs 141.80 lakh as other financial grants) to MIFCO as a step to revamp the sick PSU.
Passion fruits farmers under this cluster are expected to supply at least 10,000 metric tons of passion fruits to a fruit processing plant at Chhingchhip owned by MIFCO.
Each beneficiary will cultivate passion fruits on at least one hectare of land. A beneficiary will be provided with 2000 saplings each and from this annual production of at least 20,000 kgs of passion fruits are expected.
The government has also decided to implement cluster farming in pine apple under RKVY and NLUP. Clusters and beneficiaries for the project have been selected. The project will be launched soon, officials said.
Aizawl, Oct 23 : A 19-year-old woman – half-naked and gagged, with her hands and feet tied up with ropes – was found behind the pulpit of a church in Aizawl early Wednesday morning.
Several members of the congregation who were making preparations for an approaching service after the early morning prayers at the Bethlehem Veng Presbyterian Church found the woman around 6.30 am.
The woman, who hails from Tlungvel village about 58 kms from the state capital, was lying behind the pulpit (a raised platform from where preachers deliver sermons) with her hands and feet bound with ropes, and a scarf tied around her mouth.
The congregation members untied her but she refused to say in any detail what had happened, only mentioning that two people – a man and woman she said she did not know – tied her up and left her there.
She also asked for another woman with whose family she had been staying for about a month in the locality. An eyewitness from the locality said the woman and her father came to identify her.
They confirmed she had been staying in their care and was being taken care of by the daughter, who has been volunteering to care for members of loose occult movements.
The police were informed and they have detained her for questioning.
They have also registered a case under IPC section 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs.)
A senior police official said the woman has not been responsive to police interrogators but that several angles are being investigated, including who were the people that tied her up and left her in the church, and even whether she might have been complicit in the incident.
The
3000MW Dibang dam, rejected twice as it would submerge vast tracts of
biologically rich forests, is to get environmental clearance – but huge
local opposition could stall the project
A dam in Arunachal Pradesh. Photograph: Travelib Environment/Alamy
Six years ago, former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh
laid the foundation stone for the 3000MW Dibang multipurpose dam
project. The dam, to be built across the Dibang river, in the
north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, will be the country’s largest.
The state plans to build more than 160 dams in the coming years.
Dibang dam will not only generate power but supposedly
control floods in the plains of neighbouring Assam state. The dam’s
reservoir was estimated to submerge 5,000 hectares (12,000 acres) of
dense forests along the Dibang river valley. The forest advisory
committee (FAC), which examines the impact of infrastructure projects on
wilderness areas, was appalled and rejected it.
For a project so large, the environmental impact assessment (EIA) failed to assess critical components
of the project and was widely criticised for inadequately predicting
the dam’s effects on the environment. Its evaluation of impacts on
wildlife is a farce. The authors of the document list creatures not
found in that area, such as Himalayan tahr, and concocted species not
known to exist anywhere in the world, such as brown pied hornbill. Of
the ones they could have got right, they mangled the names, referring to
flycatchers as ‘flying catchers’ and fantail as ‘fanter’.
In his scathing critique,
Anwaruddin Choudhury, an expert on the wildlife of north-east India,
sarcastically concluded the EIA makes a case for the project to be
shelved, as Dibang was the only place in the world “with these
specialities!” Despite listing these amazing creatures, the EIA goes on
to say “no major wildlife is observed”.
In a similar vein, the document claims only 301 people will
be affected by the dam. Authorities must be puzzled that a project with
so few affected people should be opposed by so many. Protests by local people
began soon after the inaugural stone was laid in 2008. Since then large
crowds have disrupted public hearings. On 5 October 2011, police fired
on one such mass demonstration, injuring 10 people. Regional authorities
branded anti-dam protestors as Maoist rebels, further angering them.
In Arunachal Pradesh, the Idu Mishmi and Adi tribes will be
the most affected. They fear loss of grazing land, fishing grounds, and
lack of safety of the dam in a seismically volatile zone.
Additionally,
they are concerned that the large number of workers needed to build the
dam will overwhelm their cultural identity and their lands.
When the FAC first rejected the project in June 2013, it
said the “ecological, environmental and social costs of diversion of
such a vast track of forest land, which is a major source of livelihood
of the tribal population of the state, will far outweigh the benefits
likely to accrue from the project”.
Neeraj Vagholikar, an environmentalist familiar with the case, who works for NGO Kalpavriksh, lists the concerns of people downstream in Assam:
loss of fisheries, loss of agricultural land on river islands,
increased vulnerability to floods caused by removal of boulders from
riverbeds for dam construction, sudden release of water from the
reservoir in the monsoons, and safety of the dam in a geologically
fragile and seismically active region.
Under public pressure, Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi told prime minister Narendra Modi
in July this year, “We urge that all hydro electric projects be taken
up only after consideration of dam safety, flood moderation and
downstream impact mitigation measures in consultation with government of
Assam.”
Arunachal Pradesh resubmitted the proposal in February 2014,
dropping the height of the dam from 288 metres to 278 metres and saving
1,100 acres of forest. The FAC rejected it again in April 2014.
Prakash Javadekar’s ministry of environment and forests also rejected the proposal on
28 August 2014, and cited these reasons in its letter: “[The] proposed
area is very rich in biodiversity, sensitive ecosystem being at the edge
of hills and flood plains and having large number of endemic and
endangered flora and fauna, etc. Moreover, such project is most likely
to have considerable downstream impact including impact on the
Dibru-Saikhowa NP [national park] in Assam which is yet to be studied.”
This time it sailed through the clearance process. At the
time of writing, the minutes of the FAC meeting granting approval have
not been made public, and the final height of the dam is still
unconfirmed. Anti-dam activists suspect the height of the dam may be
lower by 20 metres, and the dam is likely to submerge 4,300 hectares
(10,586 acres) of forest.
Javadekar has repeatedly stated he supported development without destruction of environment.
But it’s just a matter of days before he affixes his seal of approval
to the dam. The FAC’s previous concerns for the area’s biodiversity and
the lack of studies of the impact in Assam were brushed aside. A project
that claims to control flooding in Assam has not conducted one public
meeting in that state nor was the chief minister’s demand for
consultation acknowledged. The ministry’s own concerns about the impact
on Dibru-Saikhowa national park remain unaddressed. This is the latest
in a series of moves made by the government to push large projects at the cost of the environment.
When he was a prime ministerial candidate, on 22 February 2014, Modi had said in a speech at Pasighat,
Arunachal Pradesh: “I know that the people of the state are against the
building of big dams, and I do understand their sentiments. We can
still tap those potentials with proper scientific technology and small
dams, besides using solar energy to supplement them.” Either he had
changed his mind in six months, or he never meant what he said then.
However, forcing these approvals through may not make an
iota of difference. The 2000MW lower Subansiri hydroelectric power
project got all its clearances, and yet after spending over £500m, the
project was brought to a halt in December 2011. The largest anti-dam
people’s movement, “unprecedented in India’s hydropower history,” refuses to allow dam construction.
Activists believe the buildup of a massive opposition in
Arunachal Pradesh and Assam may render the Dibang dam a non-starter too.
Agartala, Oct 23 : Tripura’s Left Front government has initiated efforts to save the officers and employees involved in the Rs 17-crore scam in Bishalgarh block.
In a move to punish those responsible for leaking out the special audit report that found gross irregularities in the 36 out of the 52 gram panchayats and village committees under the Bishalgarh block to the tune of Rs 17 crore, the state government yesterday transferred senior IAS officer and director of the state audit department, Lalnuna Rukhum, to the relatively less important post of officer on special duty (OSD) in state institute of personnel and rural development (SIPARD).
“This is virtually a demotion because a senior IAS officer cannot be posted as OSD, SIPARD. Perhaps the government suspects Rukhum for leaking the special audit report,” said a senior official in the state secretariat. He said apart from Bishlagarh block, the special audit report on national rural health mission (NRHM) scam has also reached the Opposition.
Even 33 days after the FIR was filed against 12 officers and employees of Bishalgarh, including former BDO Bimal Chakraborty, nobody has been arrested so far.
The police searched the houses of two junior engineers and a head clerk without a search warrant, three weeks after the filing of the FIR, but failed to recover anything related to the scam.
Aizawl, Oct 22 : At least 2,171 women underwent temporary or permanent contraceptive procedures over the past six months in Mizoram while no man did, a half-yearly report of the state health Department’s Reproductive and Child Health division made public on Tuesday shows.
“There are no reports of any male undergoing vasectomy or temporary procedures in the past six months,” state RCH program officer Dr R Lalthanga said.
Of the women who underwent contraceptive procedures, 857 underwent medical sterilisation while the rest employed the temporary copper-T procedure.
The half-yearly report, tabled before a review meeting chaired by Health Minister Lal Thanzara, also shows only 13 women have died from childbirth while 387 infants have passed away before their first birthdays.
This brings the state’s infant mortality rate (IMR) to 36 for the first half of the financial year, which is one higher than last year’s state IMR of 35, which was a middle-area position compared to other states in the country.
Aizawl, Oct 22 :
The abductors of 11 non-tribals in Mizoram have reduced their earlier
ransom amount from Rs 30 lakh to Rs 11 lakh, police officials said here
on Tuesday.
The abductors, by using the mobile phone of one captive, told the
latter's relatives at Patharkandi in Assam's Karimganj district last
night, that they had reduced the amount of the ransom to ensure that the
relatives together could pay the same.
The abductors, belonging to militant outfit NLFT and cadres of the
Bru Democratic Front of Mizoram, also threatened the relatives that the
ransom should be paid this month itself, otherwise it would be the
responsibility of the relatives if anything happened to the hostages,
the officials said.
The 11 non-tribal construction employees were abducted from a place near Rajiv Nagar in Mamit district on October 10.
Winchester Lyngkhoi carries fresh
meat up to his butcher's stall on market day in Mawsynram. Picture:
Amos Chappele/Rex/australscope
YOU might need a bigger umbrella — in fact, you might need a stash of them.
And forget sunglasses because you’ll be lucky to see many rays in
the wettest place on Earth. Perched atop a ridge in the Khasi Hills of
India’s north east, the village of Mawsynram is subject to the highest
average rainfall on the planet.
Rainwater surges through Mawsynram Village during a heavy downpour. Picture: Amos Chappele/Rex/australscope
In the two peak monsoon months of
June and July Mawsynram is hit with an average 275 inches of rain.
Picture: Amos Chappele/Rex/australscope
Mawsynram is a village in the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya
state in north-eastern India, a region renowned for being constantly
wet.
The village receives a whopping 467 inches of rain per year
thanks to summer air currents sweeping over the floodplains of
Bangladesh and gathering moisture as they move north.
Perched atop a ridge in the Khasi
Hills of India's north east, the village of Mawsynram is subject to the
highest average rainfall on the planet. Picture: Amos
Chappele/Rex/australscope
When the resulting clouds hit the steep hills of Meghalaya
they are “squeezed” through the narrowed gap in the atmosphere and are
compressed to the point where they can no longer hold their moisture.
The end result is the near-constant rain the village is famous for.
Labourers wearing traditional 'knup' umbrellas walk into Mawsynram. Picture: Amos Chappele/Rex/australscope
A farmer wearing a traditional 'knup'
umbrella doesn't let the rain get in the way as he works near
Mawsynram. Picture: Amos Chappele/Rex/australscope
Further afield, deep in the rainforests of the state of
Meghalaya lie some of the most extraordinary pieces of civil engineering
in the world.
Here, in the depths of the forest, bridges aren’t built — they’re grown.
A fisherman walks under an ancient tree root bridge at Mawlynnong village. Picture: Amos Chappele/Rex/australscope
Examples of the thin aerial rubber
tree roots used by locals to creates bridges and ladders in and around
Mawsynram, which is the wettest place in the world. Picture: Amos
Chappele/Rex/australscope
Trailing vines and mosses, the living trees bridges of Cherrapunji are breathtaking in their majesty.
Ancient
tree vines and roots stretch across rivers and streams, creating a
solid latticework structure that appears too fantastical to be real.
A local man on the “double decker”
tree root bridge in Nongriat Village, deep in the rainforests of the
Indian state of Meghalaya. Picture: Amos Chappele/Rex/australscope
Local woman Mary Synrem holds a young
Ficus Elastica rubber tree root, the material used to construct the
tree root bridges in Cherrapunji, Meghalaya, India. Picture: Amos
Chappele/Rex/australscope
The Cherrapunji region is considered to be one of the wettest
places on the planet and this is the reason behind the unusual bridges.
With Cherrapunji receiving around 15 metres of rain per year, a normal wooden bridge would quickly rot.
A living tree root bridge deep in jungle near Nongriat Village, near Meghalaya, India. Picture: Amos Chappele/Rex/australscope
Deep in the rainforests of the Indian
state of Meghalaya lie some of the most extraordinary pieces of civil
engineering in the world. Picture: Amos Chappele/Rex/australscope
This is why, 500 years ago, locals began to guide roots and
vines from the native Ficus Elastica rubber tree across rivers using
hollow bamboo until they became rooted on the opposite side, eventually
creating a bridge.
Tourists visiting Mawsynram will definitely need one of these, in fact maybe a few. Picture: Amos Chappele/Rex/australscope
But locals don’t let the rain get in the way of a good celebration or some hard work.
Farmers especially have developed ways to keep the rain at bay.
The sign on the weather station on the outskirts of Mawsynram, India, says it all. Picture: Amos Chappele/Rex/australscope
Made from bamboo and banana leaf, they wear knups, which are
favoured for enabling both hands to be kept free for work and for being
able to stand up to the high winds which come with the rainstorms in
Mawsynram.
Goats shelter in a bus stop during nother drizzly afternoon in Mawsynram. Picture: Amos Chappele/Rex/australscope
And locals don’t let the pouring rain get in the way of a good
festival either with hundreds taking part in a traditional Khasi
festival in Mawsynram.
Mawsynram Village, just don't expect a lot of sunshine. Picture: Amos Chappele/Rex/australscope
The festival has been held since 1899 when 16 Khasi youths
formed the Seng Khasi movement to save the Khasi culture from being
diluted by the rapid spread of Christianity.
A Khasi boy has his turban tightly
twisted into place by his grandfather before an annual Khasi festival.
Picture: Amos Chappele/Rex/australscope
People take part in a traditional
Khasi festival in Mawsynram, which is the wettest place in the world.
Picture: Amos Chappele/Rex/australscope
New Delhi, Oct 22 :
Delhi stood firmly behind the Music Fraternity yesterday and lent its
earnest support for the concert titled #FORASSAM.
A packed Blue Frog
witnessed the biggest names of the music industry as all the stars
performed live to an enthralled audience. Spearheaded by Papon and
Vishal Dadlani, the concert at Blue Frog in Delhi was held to help
generate funds for the people who have been ravaged by the recent floods
in the state of Assam.
Said Papon, “The
intention was to generate awareness and attention about the flood
situation in Assam and generate as much relief funds as possible towards
the cause. We will collect the funds and hand it over to the chief
minister’s fund soon”.
“This is probably
the biggest concert in Indian music history where the music fraternity
has come forward for a cause. Flood is an annual phenomenon in Assam,
but due to some reasons, it doesn't get properly highlighted enough to
be considered as a national calamity. ” said Vishal.
Haflong, Oct 22 : The longest railway tunnel in the north east on the newly constructed Lumding-Silchar broad gauge line in Assam has been scooped out, said Northeast Frontier Railway officials.
The tunnel is situated near New Haflong station building and passes below Haflong town and the underground excavation work from both ends met each other on Sunday in Dima Hasao district, said NF Railway senior public relations officer (construction) Md M M Y Alam.
The 3,235 meter long tunnel connects the newly built New Haflong railway station with Jatingalumpur railway station, he said adding it is considered as one of the most critical tunnel in the 210-km broad gauge track.
It was scooped out with great difficulty due to soil conditions of the area and geological issues. Adverse geological conditions were encountered during underground excavation of the tunnel and its completion has been seen as a major challenge for the construction engineers of NF Railway, he told reporters Monday.
A high level team of the Construction Organisation comprising its Chief Executive Administrative Officer Ajit Pandit, Chief Engineer R K Ginger and others inspected the tunnel yesterday.
Terming it as a feat of the Railways in 2014-15, Alam said Construction Organisation has in a major breakthrough made the much awaited and difficult tunnel gauge conversion project.
Though work on the tunnel had begun in September 2005, it did not progress well initially due to several geological problems.
However, from 2012 onwards the work resumed and now the tunnel has been opened, Alam said adding, the remaining work of benching, lining and invert is scheduled to be completed by January next year.
New Delhi, Oct 20 : Two days after a woman from Mizoram was found with stab wounds in her Munirka house, and later succumbed to injuries, police said they were awaiting the autopsy reports to ascertain whether the injuries were self-inflicted or if she had been murdered.
Twenty-seven-year-old Juliet Zonunmawi, who hails from Aizwal, was found bleeding in her Munirka flat on Thursday night. She was taken to Safdarjung Hospital by a friend, Virendra Singh from Haldwani in Uttarakhand, where she was declared brought dead.
Police said the autopsy reports were due in a couple of days. Her friends who were present in her house at the time of the incident are still being questioned, police said. “Juliet’s third-floor house is sealed and policemen are questioning neighbours,” Sachin Rai, a resident of the same building, told Newsline.
Though police registered a case of murder, they are also probing the possibility of a suicide. Based on Virendra’s statement that he found her bleeding in the kitchen, police have not ruled out self-injury.
After the post-mortem examination was conducted on Saturday, Juliet’s body was handed over to her brother Jeremy who flew down from Agra on Friday. The body was flown back to Aizwal where her family lives.
On Saturday, Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju in Gurgaon said he would bring up the issue with Delhi Commissioner of Police B S Bassi and urge him to ensure that issues and crimes concerned with residents from the Northeast are handed with care.
Cops yet to act on Michael's plea against vile torrent calling him namesinFacebook
Bangalore, Oct 20 : The case of the engineering student from Manipur who was allegedly
assaulted for not knowing Kannada on Tuesday night has taken a new
twist. The 26-year-old approached the police on Saturday requesting them
to take action against a woman who allegedly called him a "swine" on
social media and said he "should be stoned to death".
T Michael
Lamjathang Haokip alleged that a Facebook user, Priyanka Ravi, posted
inflammatory comments about him online and assassinated his character by
making false claims that the victim was in Kothanur that fateful night
trying to "convert poor families to Christianity" which is why he was
attacked, and not because he didn't know Kannada.
"At first, I
found the situation rather amusing, since I am not even Christian to
begin with. But I realised I could not stay quiet as this discrimination
and hatred is unwarranted. I did nothing to deserve being beaten up,
and the words used by the woman online are derogatory. It was my juniors
in college who brought her post to my notice, and I immediately shot
off an email to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (North-east) on his
official mail ID on Saturday. I received a reply saying someone would
contact me from the Kothanur Police Station. But so far, I haven't heard
from them," Michael told Mirror.
One of the comments the woman
made read: "And by the way, they hit him because he was trying to
convert people here and not because he didn't know Kannada as reported
by our paid sickular media."
When another user, Akshatha S B,
commented that she had mutual friends with Michael and that they had
never discussed religion, Priyanka replied: "Ooh, grow up! He was not a
fool to do religion based conversations (sic) in an educational
institution. He targeted poor families in the Hennur region and
obviously people who are involved in conversations won't go around
talking about it openly. As I said earlier, don't comment if you don't
know the other side of the story!"
The woman then raised the
vitriol level, "A person involved in religious conversions should be
stoned to death, not just hit. I don't care if he speaks Kannada or
Persian, he was involved in an illegal activity and he got what he
deserved."
'COPS SLOW TO REACT'
Michael, meanwhile, claims the police have been slow to react. "I have
been waiting for a call or some sort of action, but sadly, there has
been nothing so far. I even complained on the Bangalore City Police
Facebook Page, providing the link to her post, and asked the Cyber Crime
Cell to take action. "She seems like some sort of fanatic who is bent
on dragging religion into the incident," he said.
When
contacted, DCP (North-east) Vikash Kumar Vikash said, "I will have to go
through the email. But we will look into the matter." Priyanka Ravi
remained unavailable for comment.
To put things in context,
around 9:30 pm last Tuesday, Michael and two friends stopped at a
roadside eatery on Kothanur Main Road for dinner. The trio was returning
from the Kothanur police station, barely a kilometre away, where they
had distributed invitations for a community event on November 1.
A group of three drunken youths sitting at the next table allegedly
objected to the boys speaking in English and demanded that they speak in
Kannada since they were "eating food in Karnataka". An argument ensued
and the youths bashed up the students. Michael was attacked with a chair
and stones and sustained injuries on his head, neck, shoulder, and
back. A case was registered at the Kothanur Police Station and the
youths were arrested immediately.
BULK SMS'es OF 2012
In early August 2012, bulk SMSes, emails, and messages began circulating warning people from the North-east to leave Bangalore and other cities before 20 August. This created panic among members of the North-eastern community in the city, who began fleeing in hordes after some people were attacked. Soon, 16 miscreants were arrested in Bangalore: eight for spreading rumours that led to the flight, and eight for assault.
Union
minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju said that he has approved
setting up of an exclusive helpline for the people of Northeast living
in Gurgaon.
Gurgaon, Oct 20 :
Trying to calm nerves after the assault on two Naga youths in Gurgaon
late on Wednesday night, Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju
on Saturday met a group of students from the northeast and assured that
"hate crimes will not be tolerated".
The minister said he has approved setting up of an exclusive helpline
for the people of Northeast living in Gurgaon. "If the helpline proves
beneficial in checking such incidents, it will be replicated across
metro cities where people from Northeast region live in the country," he
said.
"The government believes India is a democratic nation and such hate
crimes will not be tolerated. Our society must not be intolerant, we
must exist harmoniously together," Rijiju said. The Lok Sabha MP from
Arunachal Pradesh said he has spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and
the national security adviser, and soon a high-level meeting will be
held on the matter. "No stone will be left unturned to control such
racist attacks against Northeast people. Solidarity of the country will
not be allowed to be disintegrated as the people of the Northeast region
have equal rights," the minister added.
He also said the Centre will soon implement recommendations of the
committee formed in February 2014 to look into various concerns of
persons from the Northeastern states who are living in different parts
of the country, especially metropolitan areas, and to suggest suitable
remedial measures.
Minister
of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju addressing the media after a
meeting on racist attack with people hailing from northeast states, in
Gurgaon. (PTI Photo)
The committee headed by M P
Bezbaruah, a North Eastern Council member, was formed following outrage
over the death of Nido Taniam, a student from Arunachal Pradesh, in a
racist attack in Delhi. It submitted its report to Rijiju on July 11.
Among the recommendations were legal measures to ensure safety and
security of people from Northeast. "The home ministry will implement
recommendations of the Bazbaruah committee," said Rijiju.
The
minister had an hour-long meeting with Gurgaon police commissioner Alok
Mittal, divisional commissioner D P S Nagal and other senior officials
over the incident. He said the people of NE region are "satisfied with
civil and police administration for their quick action."The youths from
Nagaland were beaten up allegedly by eight persons at Sikenderpur
village on Wednesday night for refusing to have drinks with the
attackers.
Remember Nido Tania, a young boy from Arunachal Pradesh who was killed in a South Delhi market in February this year. He was killed with iron rods and after that debate gained momentum that why such discrimination against north-east students. Why they are treated like they are not part of India.
Political parties also clamored a lot that time, just to take political advantage of the issue. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had termed the incident as national shame.
After coming to power, to make thing better, BJP made former army chief V K Singh Minister of state (independent charge) for North East Region.
Why bearing the brunt in own country?
But it seems nothing has changed and that proves from recent number of attacks on these students. Latest is a young woman from Manipur was found dead in her flat in South Delhi's Munirka area. Earlier, on Thursday, two youths from Nagaland were beaten up and assaulted by a gang of seven in the Sikanderpur area of Gurgaon. The attackers even chopped their hair with stern warning saying that if they will dare to come again, they will face the dire consequences.
The barbarism against north-east students doesn't end here. On October 15, a Manipuri student leader was beaten mercilessly by a gang of men who were hellbent that he should speak Kannada. "They kept asking me to speak in Kannada.
If you outsiders know how to eat food that is produced in Karnataka, you must also know how to speak Kannada. This is India not China," said the victim. Why one should know local language? It is really shocking and at the same time shameful that we treat our own brothers and sisters shabbily. They are not foreigners or aliens.
They have the same right as any Indians have. But despite that they have to face the wrath of people. Imagine the guy was beaten just because he didn't know Kannada, as if the same people will visit Manipur they will start speaking in Manipuri.
India is democratic country with mix culture, language and inclusiveness. And that is its beauty. Is this written in our constitution that one should know the language of the region, if they want to reside in that part of the country.
Obviously not. One can't force anyone to speak the same language as local follows. If India can't treat northeast students at par with other Indians, it doesn't have any right to flex muscle over Arunachal Pradesh.
There is no moral right to call Arunachal Pradesh its own. If India can't care for this racial attack at home, then why make a big issue when someone from Indian origin is assaulted at foreign soil i.e Australia. Somnath Bharti, Raj Thackeray thread on same path Sometimes back AAP leader Somnath Bharti had raided in African residents area claiming that they were involve in prostitution business. But nothing was proved against them ultimately.
Did he care how much mental agony it caused to them. In 2008, MNS chief Raj Thackeray had also started a similar campaign against Bihari migrants, saying that they should know the Marathi language. Though, people know why he did that, just to give fillip to his political career. But this is really a dangerous precedent in Democracy.
One can't treat other brutally, just because they don't know local language or culture. This is really a serious matter and concerned authorities must take punitive action on this hate crime cases. India is a country which believes in love not in hate.
New Delhi: Juliet, 24, a Mizo girl was found
dead and brought to Safdarjung Hospital with fatal head injury from
house No. 176, Moti Bagh Chauper in Munirka.
The victim had been living with a man called Virender Singh.
The police have lodged an FIR under section 302 of the IPC. Investigation is going on.
The girl was taken to Safdarjung Hospital with serious head injuries where she was declared dead, police said.
"She was living with a man identified as Virender Singh since the last few months. His role is being ascertained," said a senior police official. The live-in partner is the main suspect.
Singh has been absconding and the police are trying to trace him.
A case has been registered at Vasant Vihar Police Station and further investigations are on.
Michael Lamjathang Haokip of Manipur with Police Commissioner M N Reddy at his office in Bangalore on Thursday
Express met with Michael Lamjathang Haokip, one of the
Manipuri students who was beaten up by three people in the city on
Tuesday.
Where did the incident happen?
For an upcoming
cultural function, we were practising Bamboo dancing at Kothanur. Many
of my friends stay there and I went there from Shantinagar, where I
stay.
What did you do after practice?
We finished practice
at around 5.30 pm and since we needed the local police station’s
permission to hold the function, three of us went to meet the inspector
of the Kothanur police station. After going to the police station, we
went to have dinner. Around 9.30 pm, we visited a local food joint and
ordered food. We were sitting and chatting in our local language when we
noticed three people sitting at the adjoining table. Suddenly one of
them started shouting at us saying, “What you are eating is Kannada
food. Where you are sitting is Karnataka, so you should speak in
Kannada.”
How did you react to that?
- One of my friends
knew Kannada and he tried to pacify them. Meanwhile I got up to wash my
hand and my other friend continued to ignore them. When I was returning
to my seat, I noticed that one of the three people was lifting a chair
to throw at us. I controlled him and all of us went outside.
What happened outside?
-
We were quarrelling outside and then I noticed the guy who had aimed
the chair at us picking up two stones to throw at us. I acted out of
instinct and grabbed him. In that process, I fell down and he fell down
and at that time, he hit me with the stone.
When the fight was
going down, our bikes fell down. I tried calling the Kothanur police
station but there was no response. I called out to my friend and we took
his bike and headed to the police station.
On our way to the
police station, another guy came by on a motorbike and hit us. We fell
down and at that time, I got through to the police station and spoke to
the inspector. I started walking towards the station and met the police
on my way.
Certain reports say that you’ve denied it to be a racist comment.
-
While I have not used the word racist, it is very obvious that those
comments were made because of how I look. That is indirectly racism.
Would the locals have dared to make such comments if, instead of us,
there were three locals who did not know Kannada?
Were you aware that the guys who beat you up were drunk?
-No, I was not. If we wanted, we could have replied with muscle power, but we chose to go to the police.
Aizawl, Oct 17 : The United Nations and the Mizoram government Thursday signed a USD 4 million agreement to initiate a livelihood project in the state.
According to UN representatives, the project would employ a “virtuous cycle” approach to manage and protect the state’s ecosystem and cut out “unscrupulous middlemen” by teaching business plans to farmers and others in the primary sector.
The UN entourage consists of four specialised agencies — ILO, FAO, UNIDO and UNDP — and the global body’s Resident Coordinator in India Lisa Grande said an office to oversee the project would be set up in Aizawl latest by December 15.
Grande described the four-year-project as a “unique initiative” which is the “only one of it’s kind in India”.
State Planning Board Secretary P L Thanga said the project was incubated in late 2012 by the FAO initially and other specialized UN agencies were roped in given the scale of problems faced in the state.
The project is expected to create market linkages for Mizoram’s primary products and also focus on “sustainable” use of bamboo, one of the state’s most well-developed natural resources.
A system to prevent outbreaks of diseases among domestic animals is also planned since Mizoram., bordering both Bangladesh and Myanmar, is prone to the entry of exotic ailments that devastate the animal husbandry sector.
New Delhi, Oct 17 : A four-day festival beginning next month will showcase music, dance, fashion and food of the northeastern states with a special focus on "bridging the cultural gap" in the wake of several incidents of attacks on people from the region.
Icons from the northeast like champion boxers M C Mary Kom and Shiva Thapa, Bollywood actor Adil Hussain and Everest conqueror Anshu Jamsenpa among others and policy makers are expected to attend the event scheduled from November 7 to 10.
Other than exhibiting the cultural heritage of northeastern states, the festival organisers will also hold discussions on critical issues concerning the region.
"The theme this year is 'Insurgence to Resurgence' with focus on highlighting the positive stories of entrepreneurship and development," said chief organiser of the festival Shyamkanu Mahanta.
"The whole objective is to present to the people of Delhi North East India in one platform and also to encourage tourism," he said.
"We want to show that just because we have different racial features, we should not be neglected. The festival is an attempt to bring people together and make them aware about the northeastern culture, which will help in avoiding any such discrimination," said Joint Commissioner (Training) Robin Hibu, who is the nodal officer for northeast people in Delhi Police.
The festival will be held at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts and is being organised by socio-cultural trust Trend MMS in association with the northeast community of Delhi comprising student organisations and activists.
"We are going to highlight the recent attacks on people of the northeast. There is a cultural gap, especially between people from the northeast and other parts of the country. The main goal of this festival is to bridge this cultural gap," said J T Tagam, a social worker from Arunachal Pradesh.
A session will be held on ways of introducing subjects from northeast in school and college curriculum to create awareness about the region.
Aizawl, Oct 17 : Visiting US Consul General in Kolkata Helen LaFave and the Mizoram government today agreed to continue coordination in combating the drug menace, an official statement said.
LaFave and state Excise and Narcotics commissioner L Hmunsanga and other senior officials met in Aizawl and discussed the issue of checking drug trafficking across the Myanmar border from the infamous Golden Triangle and other countries of the region, the statement said.
The US government had rendered help including training of narcotics
officials and financial assistance to the state excise and narcotics
department officials. The US diplomat said that she visited Mizoram to
pursue the issues discussed by President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the latter's visit to the US.
She also met Mizoram chief secretary L Tochhawng, leaders of the
central committee of the Young Mizo Association (YMA) and officials of
the Mizoram State AIDS Control Society (MSACS).
India and China disagree over the demarcation of several Himalayan border areas
India has unveiled plans to build a mountain road along the disputed border with China in the country's remote north-east.
The $6.5bn (£4.06bn), 1,800km (1,118 miles) all-weather road
will stretch from Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh state to where the borders
of India and China meet with Myanmar.
The road will connect sparsely populated and poorly-connected
hill communities living in four large frontier districts of Arunachal
Pradesh.
It will also help farmers in the mountainous region to
transport their organic crops and medicinal herbs to low-lying and busy
markets in neighbouring Assam state.
"This road will not boost our defences but help connect far
flung communities for economic development denied to them for so long,"
says India's junior home minister Khiren Rijiju, himself a resident of
Arunachal Pradesh.
But Indian military officials say the road will help consolidate Indian defences.
This represents a change in Indian military thinking that has
so far opposed developing roads near the border, in case it is used by
the Chinese during a conflict for speedy movement inside Indian
territory.
The road, however, could could ignite fresh tensions between India and China.
The world's two most populous countries disagree over the
demarcation of several Himalayan border areas and fought a brief war in
1962.
'Colonial legacy'
Chinese foreign office spokesperson Hong Lei has said India's
plan may "complicate" the boundary dispute which he described as a
"colonial legacy".
"Before a final settlement is reached, we hope that India
will not take any actions that may further complicate the situation. We
should jointly safeguard the peace and tranquillity of the border area
and create favourable conditions for the final settlement of the border
issue," he told reporters in Beijing.
Chinese officials say it is not fair of India to undertake
such a huge road building project in an area which is still in dispute.
"Once the dispute is resolved and the boundary is clearly
demarcated, India can build such roads in its territory, but it would be
unfair to build a road in a disputed territory," says Kong Can of the
Yunnan Development Research Institute.
He says India should agree to develop the BCIM
(Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar) highway and economic corridor from
Calcutta in India's West Bengal state to Kunming in China's Yunnan
province cutting through Bangladesh, India's north-eastern states of
Assam and Manipur and Myanmar's northern provinces.
"This highway and economic corridor will help integrate our
economies and open huge opportunities for developing our under-developed
frontier provinces and create a climate of trust that will help resolve
the border dispute," Kong Can said.
India is going slow on the project, so far just agreeing to "explore" its possibilities.
Roads in Arunachal Pradesh are poor and make troop movement difficult
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has responded to demands
from his security establishment to develop its defences against China,
which has reportedly beefed up its military infrastructure in Tibet with
a string of new railway lines, roads and at least five new airports.
Also, the rail route to Lhasa is likely to be extended to
Nyingchu, close to the Arunachal Pradesh border, Indian military
officials say.
"China has vastly beefed up its military infrastructure in
Tibet and we are only catching up. Unless we do that, China will always
arm-twist us on the border and try to impose a solution on its terms,"
says Lt Gen JR Mukherjee, former chief of staff in India's eastern army.
Last month India and China pulled back troops after a two-week stand-off
near their de facto border in Ladakh. Chinese President Xi Jinping was
visiting India when India accused his country of the fresh territorial
incursion.
Many believe that has added to Indian apprehensions and could
have influenced the decision to build the long border road that now
upsets China.
Subir Bhaumik is a former BBC correspondent and author
New Delhi, Oct 16 : A day after the attack on Manipuri men in Bangalore, two young
men from Nagaland were severely beaten up in Sikanderpur near Delhi by a
gang of locals.
One of the two men from Nagaland who were severely beaten up in Gurgaon. (HT Photo)
The locals numbering about seven, held the men in confinement in
Sikanderpur area and beat them up with cricket bats and hockey sticks, a
support group for northeast students alleged.
After the attack the attackers also cut their hair, and asked them to tell their friends from the northeast to leave the area.
"If you were from Manipur, we would have killed you, " the attackers allegedly told the men.
Combo image of two men from Nagaland. (HT Photo)
The victims were first rushed to a provate hospital nearby, but
seeing the injuries were severe, they were taken to the Civil Hospital.
Aizawl, Oct 16 : Former Mizoram chief minister and opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) chief Zoramthanga today said that he was ready to broker peace with any government and insurgent group, if they wanted so.
Addressing a press conference here, former underground leader Zoramthanga said that he had recently held discussion in Delhi with former UK Premier Tony Blair's 'Intermediate group' engaged in brokering peace deals across the globe.
He said that members of the Intermediate group, headed by Blair's right-hand man Jonathan Powell was interested in the time-tested and most successful historic Mizo Peace Accord signed between the Indian government and the erstwhile underground MNF on June 30, 1986.
Zoramthanga had been involved in the Naga peace talks and also in the peace deal with the Garo insurgent group ANVC (Achik National Volunteer Council), which recently signed an accord with the Centre in Delhi.
He was sent to Bangkok to meet NSCN (I-M) leaders Isak Swu and Th. Muivah and also ANVC top leaders including Washington.
The former chief minister said that he did not rule out mid-term poll in Mizoram as the Congress government led by Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla has been facing severe financial crisis and the state was apt for declaration of financial emergency under the constitution.
He alleged that the Thanhawla administration has miserably failed in financial management resulting in severe financial problems.
Bangalore, Oct 16 : A suspected hate crime was reported in Bangalore
where a Manipuri student alleged that he was beaten up by people who
demanded he speaks in Kannada. Three people have been arrested in
connection with the case.
Speak in Kannada, else flee - this was the kind of threat
22-year-old Michael allegedly faced when he went to have dinner at a
roadside eatery in east Bangalore on Tuesday night.
"Three men came to us. One of the miscreants told us to speak in
Kannada. He said that we need to speak Kannada as we live in Karnataka
and and eat Kannada food. They tried to hit us after that," Michael
Lamjathang Haokip said.
Speak in Kannada, else flee - this was the kind of threat 22-year-old Michael allegedly faced.
Although out of danger now, Michael sustained injuries on his head.
What is shocking is the apathy of the onlookers who did not come to the
boy's rescue. The engineering student has been living in Bangalore for
the past four years.
Even as the terrified student tried to make an escape and reach
the Kothanur police station, the group of men followed him. But luckily a
police van reached the spot and the men were taken into custody.
The police have booked the three men under the Rowdy Act for
assault and intimidation. But they are refusing to call this a racial
attack.
"It should not be termed as a racial attack. Even the victim has
told that it is not a racial attack. The three people were drunk and
were semi-literate people and in their drunken state, they did this.
They don't have authority to beat up anyone. That is why we have taken
up this case," said Alok Kumar, Additional CP (Law and Order).
This is not a one of a kind incident for Bangalore. In May 2012,
another Manipuri student Richard Loitam was found dead under mysterious
circumstances triggering protests across the country. Months after that,
a mass exodus of northeastern Indians from Bangalore was triggered by a
hoax SMS, threatening the community.
The latest incident only raises more questions about the safety of outsiders in Bangalore.
The government has to create educational and employment avenues in the northeastern states.(Reuters/Adnan Abidi)
New Delhi, Oct 22 :
Delhi stood firmly behind the Music Fraternity yesterday and lent its
earnest support for the concert titled #FORASSAM. 
By Rao Jaswant Singh
New Delhi: Juliet, 24, a Mizo girl was found
dead and brought to Safdarjung Hospital with fatal head injury from
house No. 176, Moti Bagh Chauper in Munirka.
Aizawl, Oct 17 : Visiting US Consul General in Kolkata Helen LaFave and the Mizoram government today agreed to continue coordination in combating the drug menace, an official statement said.
India and China disagree over the demarcation of several Himalayan border areas
Roads in Arunachal Pradesh are poor and make troop movement difficult
One of the two men from Nagaland who were severely beaten up in Gurgaon. (HT Photo)
