North East News

PM, Sonia Gandhi visit blast sites
PM announces Rs 4 lakh for blast victims
NE TV Correspondent, Guwahati
1 Nov
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi visited Guwahati on Saturday to review the situation following serial blasts that left 81 people dead and over 400 injured. Talking to media persons after visiting the blast sites, Manmohan Singh extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the blast victims. The Prime Minister also refuted opposition charge that the UPA is soft on terror. He gave assurance that strict action would be taken against those found guilty. Besides, the Prime Minister also announced an ex-gratial of Rs 4 lakhto the families of those killed in the blast and Rs 1 lakh to those injured.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi airbed in Guwahati on Saturday to review the situation after the serial blasts that rocked parts of lower Assam. They visited the blasts victims at the Guwahati Medical College Hospital and interacted with them. After the visit, the Prime Minister announced not to spare the perpetrators of the ghastly blasts.
After arriving at the Lokopriyo Gopinath International Airport where they were received by Governor SC Mathur and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi they drove to the Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital to meet the injured in the serial blasts. There was tight security around the hospital with mediapersons not allowed to enter. They spent about 20 monutes in the hospital and interacted with the injured persons.

The leaders also visited the blast site near the Deputy Commissioner's office where 12 people were killed. Tight security arrangement was made in all the venues for the visit of the two leaders. Accompanied by union home minister Shibraj Patil, union heavy industries minister Santosh Mohan Dev, Assam Governor SC Mathur and chief minister Tarun Gogoi, both the Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi made an on spot bisit to the CJM court blast spot. The two leaders went straight to the airport from the GMCH. Before flying to Delhi, they held a high level meeting with the cabinet minister of assam in the presence of the top police and army officials. The Prime Minister, before his departure, announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to those killed in the blasts and Rs 1 lakh to those injured. source: netvindia.com

Shivraj Patil tours blast-hit areas of Barpeta Road
NE TV Correspondent, Barpeta
1 Nov
After touring Guwahati and Kokrajhar, Union home minister Shivraj Patil on Saturday arrived in Barpeta Road to inspect the blast sites and meet the blast victims. As scheduled, the home minister went directly to the blast sites under tight security and later went to Barpeta Civil Hospital to meet the blast victims and take stock of their conditions. Refusing to comment on who could be behind the blasts, he instead appealed for all sections to remain united.
Union Home minister Shivraj Patil arrived in Barpeta Road on Saturday and inspected both the Choudhury complex and Pykari Bazar blast sites. Later he left for Barpeta where he met the blast victims admitted in Barpeta Civil Hospital. Later talking to mediapersons, Patil refused to comment on who could be behind the blasts and instead appealed to all sections to stand united.
Meanwhile, Barpeta town was put under unprecedented security in view of the home minister's visit causing great inconvenience to general public. Even media persons were not spared and had to face difficulties while going about their work. Patients being rushed to hospitals faced great problems as they were left stranded on the roads for hours because of restriction on traffic on the routes the home minister was scheduled to take. source: netvindia.com

Assam Bandh paralyses normal life
NE TV Correspondent, Guwahati
1 Nov
Life was again thrown out of gear in Assam on Saturday, three days after the deadly blasts left over 70 dead and many struggling for life in the hospitals. Despite the appeals to the people of the state by various student bodies not to resort to bandhs immediately after the blasts, the saffron brigade took out protests in various parts of the state to enforce the bandh. The state witnessed total shutdown with reports of untoward incidents coming from different pockets during the bandh hours.

Assam refused to get out of the trauma of the ghastly blasts that caused several deaths and injuries of innocent civilians and went into mourning the second day. For the third consecutive day, the state remained shut throwing life out of the gear. On Thursday day and Friday however, due to the curfew imposed, people stayed indoors, with some violent protests witnessed in Ganeshguri and other areas. On Saturday however, in view of the BJP and VHP called 12 hour Assam bandh, the entire state witnessed a total shut down. During the bandh period starting 5 in the morning on Saturday, protesters torched vehicles, blocked railway tracks and roads and burnt effigies to protest against the serial blasts. All markets, shops, offices as well as educational and financial institutions remained closed with public and private vehicles remaining off the roads owning to the strike that coincided with the visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in Guwahati. Though the state secretariat and the district deputy commissioner offices were open, attendance was thin with most employees were unable to reach their work places. Hundreds of protesters were rounded up for attempting to block railway tracks, national highways and roads. Picketeers in Golaghat district attempted to stop trains, but were dispersed. Effigies were burnt at many places. There were also reports of vehicles being smashed and set ablaze in Guwahati. The BJP took out a protest march from its state unit office headquarters in Guwahati. In most places in the Brahmaputra and Barak valleys and the two hill districts, people chose to remain indoors. The shutdown was called separately by the BJP, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal to protest the 13 serial blasts in the state on Thursday that killed 77 persons and injured over 400. Meanwhile, the influential All Assam Students' Union has also called Assam bandh on Monday to protest the blasts. source: netvindia.com

SMS could be ploy to divert police attention, says Assam Police
Ammonium nitrate, RDX used in serial blasts
SIT set up to probe blasts
NE TV Correspondent, Guwahati
1 Nov
In a significant development, the Assam Police today said that the SMS on behalf of little-known ISF-IM, owning the serial blast could be a strategy to divert the attention of the security agencies. The police meanwhile have confirmed the use of ammonium nitrate and RDX in all the blasts. Besides, they have also confirmed that Maruti 800 cars were used in all the three blasts in Guwahati on Thursday. Meanwhile, the DGP has formed a special investigating team to probe the blasts.

Assam Police Inspector General of law and order Bhaskarjyoti Mahanta has said that the SMS sent to some people in the name of ISF-IM on Friday, owning the responsibility of Thursday's serial blasts could be a strategy of the perpetrators of the crime to diver the attention of the security agencies. Mahanta also disclosed that the person who had sent the SMS has been arrested and interrogation is on. He also said that the mobile was active till 5.35 on Friday after which it was switched off. The IGP also told the media that the police have very little information about the ISF.

Mahanta, while talking to reporters at his office on Saturday, said that they have identified the owner of the car used in the CJM court blast. Frikendra Saikia, the owner of the car bearing registration number AS01M0327 has been arrested by the Nagaon Police. However, during interrogation, Saikia told the police that he had sold the car to the Pallavi Motors of Guwahati in 2006 for Rs. 92,000. Meanwhile, one advocate Pradip Konwar has come forward to help the police in preparing the sketches of two suspects of the CJM court blast.

Forensic tests further confirmed the use of Maruti 800 cars in the other two blasts at Ganeshguri and Panbazar. But the police have not been to identify the owners of these cars.
Besides, the owner of the red Bajaj Pulsar bike used in the Bongaigaon blast has also been identified and has been detained. However, according to the owner of the bike, his bike was stolen on October 22 and an FIR with the Dispur police station was also lodged in this regard.
On being asked if the blasts in Assam were similar to those occurred in some other parts of the country, Mahanta informed that forensic tests revealed use of ammonium nitrate, RDX and plasticizer in all the blasts. A switch used for triggering PTD was also found from the Ganeshguri blast site. It is to be noted that in all the recent blasts across the nation, ammonium nitrate was used. In order to speed up the probe process, the DGP has constituted a special investigative team headed by Special Task Force Inspector General R Chandranathan. source: netvindia.com

Police Commissioner for Guwahati on anvil
Govt announces cash reward for blast information
NE TV Correspondent, Guwahati
1 Nov
The Assam cabinet, in an important meeting held just ahead of the Prime Minister's visit, decided to create a Police Commissioner's post for Guwahati. The meeting, held to review the security scenario of the state, took this decision after three high intensity blasts rocked the capital city on Thursday killing 77 people and injuring over 400. At the same time it was decided to reward persons who furnish any kind of information about the blasts and also those people and policemen whose cooperation prevented similar blasts in Bongaigaon, Rangia and Nalbari. The meeting began with the observation of 1 minute silence in memory of the blasts victims and expression of condolence followed by an appeal to all to extend a helping hand to police and administration at this time of grief. source: netvindia.com

Ammonium nitrate, RDX used in serial blasts
NE TV Correspondent, Guwahati
1 Nov
Terrorism has taken a major leap forward in Assam and terrorists have now started adopting ultra modern, ultra powerful methods to spread terror in the state. This is the view of forensic expert Dr Padmapani who on Saturday said that the Thursday serial blasts in Assam was executed successfully by some financially-strong organisation with the help of some local militant outfit. Forensic tests on blasts sites have revealed that RDX, Ammonium nitrate were used in the bombs and they were exploded with the PTD method. NETV has this special report.

The serial blasts in Assam on Thursday have proved that terrorists are using new terror methods in the state. The blasts marked a shift in terror tactics as powerful explosives were used to make the bombs with the intention to cause maximum casualty. Forensic expert Dr Padmani said on Saturday that Thursday's blasts were the handiwork of some financially strong organisation in collaboration with some local militant outfit.

According to Dr Padmapani, powerful explosives like RDX and Ammonium Nitrate were used in the bombs and the blasts bore similarities with the recent blasts in other parts of the country.
Dr Padmapani also said that through Thursday's blasts the terrorists have send out a powerful message that they can go to any extent.

Dr Padmapani has taken his doctorate in explosives and has received worldwide recognition and honours for his research and work in the field of forensic science. He also criticised the attack on an ambulance by a mob in one of the blast sites. source: netvindia.com

Blast probe leads to several arrests in Nagaon
NE TV Correspondent, Guwahati
1 Nov
Call it a strange coincidence or providence but it is a fact that Assam's Nagaon dist's name has been linked with subversive activities by Muslim fundamentalists in India. 2002 Godhra carnage's main culprit Nanhe Miyan is a resident of Kalibhati under Samuguri PS of Nagaon dist. Similarly, two youths from Nagaon dist were arrested by police for involvement in Hyderabad blasts. Last Thursday's serial bomb blasts in Assam have once again thrown up Nagaon dist's name. Nagaon police has so far arrested 3 youths in connection with the serial blasts. The question that arises from these arrests is: Is Nagaon dist the stronghold of jihadi elements? Is this the place from where the Jihadi elements have been carrying out subversive activities in different parts of the country? NE TV presents a special report…

Assam police launched a massive operation to nab the culprits behind the Thursday serial blasts in the state. Acting promptly, Nagaon police on Friday evening arrested 3 youths from Juria and Lanka for blasts links. The number AS-12D-8335 of the Maruti 800 car used in the Panbazar blast has actually turned out to be the no of a motorcycle. Police traced the owner to Nagaon dist's Tuktuki village under Juria PS. His name is Julfikar Ali. Julfikar had bought the motorcycle from 2 youths of Juria by the name of Arif Mohammed Mizammil and Muzammil Haq. Nagaon police has meanwhile arrested Mohammed Mizammil but Muzammil Haq is absconding. With information from Julfikar Ali, dist police arrested on Friday night Amrul Haq from Lanka and recovered the motorcycle bearing the no AS-12D-8335. Although Amrul had bought the motorcycle from Julfikar, the bike has not been registered in his name as he has not cleared the payment.

Similarly, the owner of the Maruti 800 car used in the CJM court blast with the no AS-01M-0327 has been found out to be Frikendra Saikia and his wife has been picked up by police from Nagaon dist's Moithup Putoni village. Meanwhile, the mobile no from which an SMS was sent in ISF(IM)'s name owning responsibility for the blasts has been traced to Nazir Ahmed and he has been arrested from Nagaon's dist's Dhing. So far police has arrested altogether 6 persons from Nagaon dist alone for serial blasts links. Godhra carnage's main culprit Nanhe Miyan and 2 suspects of Hyderabad serial blasts had turned out to be residents of Nagaon dist. Now the question arises: why does Nagaon's dist's name come up again and again after acts of subversion by Muslim fundamentalists? What connection does Nagaon have with Jihadi forces? According to Union home ministry reports, the organisation MULTA or Muslim United Liberation Tigers of Assam is active in Assam. Formed under the aegis of Bangladesh-based Jamat e Islami, the founder of MULTA was a former Pakistan army man named Rustam Ali. The 3 control cells of MULTA are based in Assam's Dhubri, Barpeta and Nagaon dists while the headquarter is in Bangladesh's Sylhet dist. Formed with the intention of annexing Assam to a planned greater Islamistan, MULTA's majority of members come from Nagaon dist. The organisation's network is spread over Nagaon dist's Rupahihat, Dhing and Samuguri, char areas and even Lumding. Several of its cadres have been picked up by police already. In 2000, army had picked up an active member of MULTA named Nur Ali from Lumding. In 2003, a sergeant major of the organisation was arrested. Subsequently, on 6 April of 2004, MULTA cadre Abdul Khalek from Khalihamari, on 5 Sept Syed Shabir Ahmed for maintaining links with MULTA and on 7 Sept from Lanka Mohammed Abdul Laskar with a 9 mm pistol were arrested by police. Similarly, on 5 Feb of 2005, 2 MULTA men were arrested from Nakhuli gaon in Nagaon dist and 1 pistol, 1 revolver, 1 sten gun and 1 rifle were recovered from their possession. Very recently, on 17 June this year, 4 MULTA cadres were picked up by army from Rupahihat. Authorities suspect that MULTA is behind all the 6 blasts that took place in Nagaon dist in the last 2 years. And, now, the arrest of 6 persons from the same dist for involvement in Thursday's serial blasts has rung alarm bells in the state police dept and intelligence agencies. The signs are ominous and the frequent involvement of youths from Nagaon dist in subversive activities hints at a dangerous trend. source: netvindia.com

Asom Sahitya Sabha condemns Assam blasts
NE TV Correspondent, Guwahati
1 Nov
The Asom Sahitya Sabha, the apex literary body of Assam has strongly condemned the serial blasts in Assam. The Sabha president Kanaksen Deka said that a little bit alertness of the government could have averted the tragedy. He also said that the divisive forces will never succeed in their efforts to create communal tension in Assam. source: netvindia.com

Meghalaya could be next target of jehadis, warns intelligence reports
NE TV Correspondent, Guwahati
1 Nov
At the backdrop of the recent serial blasts in Assam and with intelligence reports warning Meghalaya to be the next target of Jehadi elements, GOC 101 area KS Sethi has stressed on the need to break the nexus between the home grown militants and the foreign Jehadi elements. Adding that there was no security lapse in Assam, he said that Meghalaya police have taken necessary actions to avert any such attempts and the BSF was also vigilant in the border areas. Sethi has also called for strengthening the various security agencies of Meghalaya. Sethi claimed that the home grown terrorist organizations active in the region were aiding Jehadi elements with logistics and to break the backbone of destructive forces, the nexus between them has to be broken. source: netvindia.com

PA Sangma calls for strengthening state intelligence
NE TV Correspondent, Shillong
1 Nov
Former speaker of the Lok Sabha and chairman of the Meghalaya state planning board PA Sangma has called upon the northeastern states to strengthen their intelligence in view of the deadly terrorist attract in Assam on Thursday. PA Sangma has appealed all the northeastern states to strengthen their intelligence agencies in view of the serial bombing that ripped through Assam. He offered condolence to the bereaved family members. He termed the Thursday blast as the bleakest day in the history of the north east region and condemned the ghastly blast that killed more than 70 lives. On being asked on the preparedness of Meghalaya on any such eventuality he said that the intelligence and the police have been put on high alert. source: netvindia.com

NCP gen secy tours Guwahati blast sites
NE TV Correspondent, Guwahati
1 Nov
NCP gen secy Dr Jimmy George on Saturday toured the Guwahati blasts sites and met family members of the blast victims. Later, he said that the state govt has completely failed to check terrorism in Assam and called for the sealing of Indo-Bangla border to prevent infiltration.
On Saturday, NCP gen secy Jimmy George along with a team of state BJP leaders visited the blast sites and met family members of blast victims. The NCP gen secy later said that the Indo-Bangla border should be sealed to check infiltration.

The NCP gen secy also met the family members of blasts victims in Guwahati. He later condemned the dastardly acts and said that the blasts go to show the failure of the state govt to check terrorist activities.
The NCP leader will submit a report of the blasts to party president Sharad Pawar. source: netvindia.com

Kamrup Chambers of Commerce opposes govt's move on parking
NE TV Correspondent, Guwahati
1 Nov
The latest blast on Thursday that ripped through the main commercial area at Fancy Bazaar has shaken the business community. Having to face the perpetrators of crimes number of times, the business community has been demanding a change in the parking system in Fancy Bazar. But now a car parked in the area, where the bomb was planted, has made their argument for a proper parking space even stronger. After the gravity of the situation arising out of the Thursday blast at Ganeshguri, the government has effected a quick change …prohibiting parking under the flyover. The Kamrup Chambers of Commerce has however opposed this move and said that this will have adverse impact on the traders. source: netvindia.com

Annual Autumn Festival begins in Shillong
NE TV Correspondent, Shillong
1 Nov
Meghalaya tourism development forum (MTDF) sponsored autumn festival began on Saturday in Shillong. However, the recent serial blasts in Assam have cast a shadow over the festival as organizers now fear that it would hamper tourist inflow to the annual event.

With intelligence inputs warning Meghalaya as the next possible target of Jehadi elements, organizers of the annual autumn festival believe that the terror strike in Assam will hamper the inflow of tourist to the Festival which will continue till Nov 9. However lined up for the festival is a variety of programmes, which the organisers say will spread a positive message about the state.

Lyngdoh also informed that the 10 day extravaganza is set to be an exciting event with added attractions like ethnic cuisine, rural mart, the biggest Jelabi in the biggest pan, fly fast by the air force, angling competition and art shows…and of course stalls selling local liquor.

After successfully breaking two world records in the last two editions of the Autumn Festival, the MTDF is aiming to make this year's Festival a people's festival. This year the main focus is to make people participate in large numbers in the annual event. The Festival kick-starts on Nov 1 with the Carnival that includes a street parade consisting of over 15 tableaux accompanied by over 200 traditional dancers from across the state, pipe bands and traditional musicians. With terror striking in nearby Guwahati, now it has become a tough job for the MTDF to woo tourists from Assam and other parts of the north east to the festival. source: netvindia.com

Northeast militant groups undergo major ideological shift
NE TV Correspondent, Imphal
1 Nov
Militancy is taking an ugly turn in the North East region of India with escalating acts of terror and violence. What is alarming is that militants are now increasingly taking to terror acts that target innocent civilians. However, one positive development is that people are now beginning to come out openly against these acts of mindless violence.

The bomb blast that took place at Ragailong at Imphal on October 22 which killed 17 and maimed 24, the burning of a bus near Dimapur with passengers inside three days later, and to top it all, the serial blasts in Assam last Thursday prove that the acts targeted innocent civilians' lives. This shows that the militant outfits in the northeast have undergone a major ideological shift of late. The failure of the state machinery to stop the increasing violence coupled with the shift in revolutionary ideology have left people with no other alternative but to come out openly against terrorism and militancy. source: netvindia.com

Ningol Chakouba celebrated in Manipur
NE TV Correspondent, Imphal
1 Nov
Friday was Ningol Chakouba day in Manipur, a day when people of the state celebrate family bonds. On this day mothers, daughters and sisters of a family are for once treated by the fathers, sons and brothers to a grand feast.

Ningol Chakouba is probably one of the most important family events that every home in Manipur celebrates. The streets of Imphal were crowded with women and children decked up in ornaments and traditional attire, rushing to their parental homes for a grand feast. Every household's recipe for this day is a mouthwatering one with fish being a must menu. What stands festival apart from other Manipuri festivals however is the display of love and sharing among family members on this day.

Ningol Chakouba falls on every second day of the new moon in the Manipuri month of Hiyangei, generally corresponding to the English months of October-November. It is a day of pride for the women and probably the only day in a year when womanhood is celebrated with much pomp and show, much to their delight. Interestingly, for 14 years now, the All Manipur Ethnical Socio-Culture Organization has been inviting all the communities residing in Manipur for a common dining on this day.
Apart from the grand feasts, married women are also showered with gifts and blessings on this day. Ningol Chakkouba is a festival close to the heart of all Manipuris because it is a day which celebrates human bonds and helps in building relationships.

source: netvindia.com