3 ULFA hardcore ultras nabbed in Assam; grenades, pistol recovered

Three hardcore ULFA insurgents were arrested with grenades, pistols and ammunition from Assam's Goalpara and Dibrugarh districts on Saturday.

On a tip off, police nabbed two militants from a bus coming from Arunachal Pradesh in front of the army camp at Lakhipur in Goalpara district.

Five hand grenades, a pistol with 20 ammunition and blank cartridges of AK-47 rifle were recovered from the ultras who are brothers, police sources said.

The two have been identified as Gupesh Hajong, who was trained in an ULFA camp in Bhutan in 1997, and Durlav Hajong, the sources said.

In Dibrugarh district, another ULFA extremist Nitul Das was picked up at Chabua with five grenades, one pistol, ammunition and documents.

Interrogation of the arrested ultras were on, they added.

Vegetable prices in Upper Assam burn holes in customers’ pockets

The flood that swept across the state in September might well be over, but the impact it left behind is still causing pain to the common man, particularly in the two Upper Assam districts of Tinsukia and Dibrugarh where almost 90 per cent of the population suffered directly or indirectly due to the floods.

One major impact which the common man is encountering these days is a massive price rise in the prices of vegetables. As the summer vegetables gradually vanish from the markets, winter vegetables like cauliflower, cabbages, brinjals, beans, etc., have started arriving in the markets. But, as the customers go to the market they are stumped with exorbitant prices of these vegetables.

Ustad Amjad Ali Khan enthrals audience

Internationally acclaimed Sarod player Ustad Amjad Ali Khan enthralled audiences at the ITA Machkhowa this evening.

Among those who witnessed the show of the legendry musician in the State were Assam Governor JB Patnaik, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Nagaland Governor Nikhil Kumar, besides a host of noted personalities.

The Sarod maestro was accompanied by his two sons – Amaan Ali Khan and Ayaan Ali Khan.

Titled ‘Peace and Harmony Concert’, the show was organised as part of the silver jubilee celebrations of the North East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC). NEZCC chairman Nikhil Kumar, who is also the Governor of Nagaland, was the chief host of the event.

The performance of the Sarod maestro is part of the year-long Silver Jubilee celebrations of the NEZCC – a premier autonomous body under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. The celebrations have been organised in various parts of the Northeast for almost a year now.

Eid-ul-Zuha celebrated in Assam

Eid-ul-Zuha was celebrated across Assam on Saturday with prayers for peace.

In Guwahati, thousands of people offered namaz at the historic Machkhowa Eidgah. Over 5,000 peace and communal harmony at Jalukbari Eidgah Maidan in the city as well. Eid-ul-Zuha prayer was also offered at Burha Jame Maszid and other mosques of Guwahati and on the outskirts.

Eid prayers were also offered in western Assam districts which witnessed bloody ethnic clashes a few months ago. Riot-hit displaced Muslims celebrated Eid in relief camps, where they are awaiting rehabilitation.

Chief minister Tarun Gogoi also offered Eid-ul-Zuha prayer at Rajdhani Masjid near the state capital here. Gogoi said love and brotherhood is the main essence of all religions. "Eid-ul-Zuha evokes the feeling of love, compassion and understanding. Let us reaffirm our resolve to further strengthen the spirit of brotherhood, unity and peace," said Gogoi. The chief minister appealed to people to endorse the longstanding tradition of amity, brotherhood and communal harmony in society.

Disaster management training for Guwahati residents

In a bid to harness the strengths and capabilities of people who can respond during an emergency, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) will train people in Guwahati Emergency Management Exercise (GEMEx) from Monday.

GEMEx is the third massive emergency management exercise of the highest level in the country after Mumbai and Chennai. The northeast is earthquake prone for being located in Seismic Zone V.

"The kind of training that will be imparted to the participants is for the first time in the north east. As many as 19 international faculties will train the participants during GEMEx. On November 3, a mock drill will be held at the Assam Engineering Institute Playground, where disaster preparedness of all government employees will be tested," said Dhruba Jyoti Das, the CEO of Kamrup (Metro) district disaster management authority.

The emergency management exercise will be conducted in various parts of the city by NDMA experts, in collaboration with the district disaster management authority, Kamrup (Metro) and Assam State Disaster Management Authority.