Paresh Baruah switches off phones, logs into Skype

Hounded and tracked by snooping Indian intelligence agencies that has cost him dearly, anti-talks Ulfa leader Paresh Baruah has switched off all his mobile and satellite phones and shifted to Skype. This is the last bit of information intelligence agencies intercepted while eavesdropping on Baruah's conversations about a week ago.

Baruah reportedly also asked his men to shift to the much-safer video chatting using Skype for all communication through a jump server that allows users to maintain online anonymity and hides their locations as well.

In recent times, many of his plans have been foiled and some of his men have been caught after they gave away their locations to security forces that continuously keep their ears glued to cellular phone networks and satellite phone frequencies.

Man in hospital after 'sexual abuse' by jailor

A 28-year-old man, an inmate of Karimganj jail, has been admitted to the local civil hospital for treatment allegedly after sexual abuse by the assistant jailor. Following the incident, at least three more inmates, all male, made similar allegations of sexual abuse on the assistant jailor, Dulal Das, before a district magistrate probing the incident.

The matter came to light after the hospitalized inmate was found bleeding profusely on last Monday. The inmates' doctor gave him first aid and suggested to the jail authorities that he should he admitted to hospital but the latter refused to do so. When the health condition of the inmate turned critical, the other inmates on Tuesday started an indefinite hunger strike seeking his immediate admission to hospital and action against Das.

Tough talk on middlemen - Himanta vows action against GMCH touts as B. Borooah adds more facilities

Health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today told The Telegraph that the state government had taken serious cognisance of instances of patients being duped by middlemen or harassed by any medical staff for money at the GMCH.

“If we get any complaint against any medical staff of government hospitals demanding money from patients in lieu of treatment, we will take tough action against him or her and in extreme cases even file FIRs. If we take cognisance of any complaint, the middlemen too will come under scrutiny,” Sarma said.

Cases of patients being harassed by middlemen at the GMCH are not uncommon. Early this month, a doctor of the GMCH was reportedly caught demanding money from two patients to conduct a surgery. The state health department has suspended him.

Bihu enthusiasts of the world, unite at Latasil ground - Experts to conduct workshop on Assam’s most popular folk dance form for 11 days

Get ready to tap your feet to the tune of dhol, with training from expert bihuas.

At the historic Latasil playground, where Bihu came onstage from the village courtyards, experts like borbihuwa Prasanna Gogoi, bihu samragye Dreamly Gogoi and borbihuwa Ranjit Gogoi will give lessons on the state’s most popular folk dance form.

The organisers, Raamdhenu Foundation, an NGO, and Gandharba Kalakendra, a city-based dance school, are hopeful that the 11-day All-Assam Bihu Dance Workshop-2013 will be the largest congregation of Bihu enthusiasts this season. Pradip Das, the working president of the organising committee, said the popularity of Bihu has increased over the years, mostly among schoolchildren.

9 new B Barooah Cancer Institute deluxe cabins

The B. Borooah Cancer Institute here will open nine deluxe paying cabins in order to provide better facilities to cancer patients from across the Northeast.

These new paying cabins will not only be bigger in size than the existing ones but each cabin will also have better facilities like a small dining area, separate water purifier and a mini-kitchen attached. The cabins will cost Rs 1,200 per day.

The paying cabins will be formally inaugurated during a function on Saturday.

At present, the 200-bed cancer hospital has 30 paying cabins. While patients are charged Rs 250 daily for the non air-conditioned cabins, they have to pay Rs 500 for the air-conditioned ones.

Sattriya evening at Chatiya enthrals audience

A fascinating evening on Sattriya dance and music was organised recently at Chatiya Natya Bhavan, which enthralled the audience for more than two hours at a stretch.

Organised by Sattriya Kendra of Guwahati, Centre for Sattriya Dance, Music and Theatre, Traditions of Sangeet Natak Academy, New Delhi, the National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama in association with Cultural Centre of Jamugurihat, Government of Assam and Chatiya Natya Samaj, the unique show evinced keen interest among the connoisseurs of Sattriya culture.

Battalions to protect Kaziranga National Park

Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain today flagged off two battalions of Assam Forest Protection Force for protection and guarding of wildlife in Kaziranga National Park.

At a programme organised at the State Zoo cum Botancial Garden, Hussain said that of the 300 personnel, 200 would be deployed in South Band North bank.

From time to time, the status of the deployment would be reviewed.

The Forest department is waiting for the clearance from the Union Civil Aviation Ministry for deployment of the proposed unmanned aircraft.

NE States to jointly check Maoists

The police forces of the States of the North East region have decided to launch coordinated efforts to check the Maoist rebels from establishing strong roots in the region. The forces are also of the view that the peace talks with the militant groups, which have already signed cease- fire agreements, should be expedited.

A meeting of the heads of the police forces of the North East States, convened by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which concluded in Gangtok last evening, discussed in detail the efforts by the Maoist rebels to establish roots in the North East region and observed that there is need for formulating strategies to check the growth of the Maoists and all the States decided to launch coordinated efforts in this regard.

Assam Govt adopts GoMs’ recommendations

The Government of Assam has adopted the recommendations of the Group of Ministers that was constituted in 2011 to study the issues of hydro-power projects in totality with an inter-disciplinary approach.

Briefing media persons here today about the recommendations of the Group of Ministers, Power Minister Pradyut Bordoloi said that all aspects had been considered right to protection of riparian rights to allay the apprehensions in the mind of the people regarding the Lower Subansiri Hydro Power Project (LSHPP) and all other proposed hydro-power projects on rivers flowing through Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.

“We have suggested to the Government that it refer to the Dr CD Thatte Committee report in connection with the safety and stability of the Subansiri dam and a Pseudo Static and Dynamic Analysis also be carried out to remove the fears in the minds of the common people,” said Bordoloi, adding that the Group of Ministers has recommended that a minimum water flow (260 cumecs) at the downstream has to be maintained at all times including off-peak hours of winter season by the LSHPP.

Bijoy Chinese joins pro-talk ULFA

Top ULFA leader Bijoy Chinese alias Bijoy Asom alias Bijoy Das, the commander of the 28 battalion of the outfit, has joined the pro-talk ULFA group led by its chairman, Arabinda Rajkhowa. Talking to newspersons for a brief while here today on the way to Guwahati, Bijoy Chinese said that he came out of the anti-talk group of the outfit led by Paresh Baruah to join the pro-talk group. This is supposed to be a very big blow to Paresh Baruah as Bijoy was the commander of its 28 battalion after Mrinal Hazarika, Jiten Dutta and Prabal Neog, leaders of A and C groups of the battalion, declared a ceasefire four years back. In fact, as Bijoy said today, he had also accompanied the ceasefire group but had to go back to bring back more cadres, but he failed that time. Though he came alone, more cadres will follow him in the near future. Bijoy Chinese stated that there were still about 150 cadres and about 30 leaders with Paresh Baruah and he hoped that Baruah would also come to the negotiation table. Bijoy was with the Tinsukia Police and left for Guwahati today.