News Analysis India

Tag: Assam

  • Assam logs 15 new cases of Japanese Encephalitis, one more fatality

    By PTI

    GUWAHATI: One more person died of Japanese Encephalitis in Assam, taking the toll to 38 this month, an official release said Friday.

    Fifteen fresh cases also raised the tally to 251, it said.

    The new fatality due to the infection was reported from Biswanath district in the last 24 hours, the National Health Mission, Assam said in the press release.

    The 15 fresh cases of Japanese Encephalitis were recorded in Baksa, Chirang, Dibrugarh, Goalpara, Golaghat, Nagaon, Jorhat, Charaidew, Sivasagar, Tinsukia and Nalbari, the statement said.

    ALSO READ | After flood, Assam battles Japanese Encephalitis, 27 lives lost in 15 days

    Two persons died of the infection on Thursday and 10 such cases were reported.

    Altogether 251 cases of Japanese Encephalitis have been reported in Assam since July 1 this year, it said.

    GUWAHATI: One more person died of Japanese Encephalitis in Assam, taking the toll to 38 this month, an official release said Friday.

    Fifteen fresh cases also raised the tally to 251, it said.

    The new fatality due to the infection was reported from Biswanath district in the last 24 hours, the National Health Mission, Assam said in the press release.

    The 15 fresh cases of Japanese Encephalitis were recorded in Baksa, Chirang, Dibrugarh, Goalpara, Golaghat, Nagaon, Jorhat, Charaidew, Sivasagar, Tinsukia and Nalbari, the statement said.

    ALSO READ | After flood, Assam battles Japanese Encephalitis, 27 lives lost in 15 days

    Two persons died of the infection on Thursday and 10 such cases were reported.

    Altogether 251 cases of Japanese Encephalitis have been reported in Assam since July 1 this year, it said.

  • Beaten up, ears slit, Assam man metes out Taliban-type punishment to minor daughter’s boyfriend

    By Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: An Assam man hit his daughter’s boyfriend and tied him up with a rope before slitting his ears, on Monday.

    Chitra Gogoi, who meted out the Taliban-type punishment, had lost his cool after finding the boy in his daughter’s bedroom. However, Gogoi was arrested by the police. 

    The incident occurred in the Kailashpur area of Bordumsa in upper Assam’s Tinsukia district. The manner in which the man had “punished” the boy left the locals enraged.

    The boy, who was found profusely bleeding, was rescued by the villagers and rushed to a hospital. He had three-four stitches on each ear and recovering, Tinsukia Superintendent of Police Debajit Deuri told TNIE on Tuesday.

    “The accused told us the boy was found in his daughter’s bedroom, hiding under a bed,” the SP said and added that Gogoi later called up the police to inform them that he had caught the boy illegally entering his property and suspected him to be a thief.

    “He said the boy was beaten up and hospitalised. In the meanwhile, the boy’s mother lodged a complaint with us stating that his ears have been slit. We registered a case. The accused has been arrested,” the SP said.

    He also said according to the boy’s mother, he is an 18-year-old and not a minor. However, the girl is a minor, the SP added.

    GUWAHATI: An Assam man hit his daughter’s boyfriend and tied him up with a rope before slitting his ears, on Monday.

    Chitra Gogoi, who meted out the Taliban-type punishment, had lost his cool after finding the boy in his daughter’s bedroom. However, Gogoi was arrested by the police. 

    The incident occurred in the Kailashpur area of Bordumsa in upper Assam’s Tinsukia district. The manner in which the man had “punished” the boy left the locals enraged.

    The boy, who was found profusely bleeding, was rescued by the villagers and rushed to a hospital. He had three-four stitches on each ear and recovering, Tinsukia Superintendent of Police Debajit Deuri told TNIE on Tuesday.

    “The accused told us the boy was found in his daughter’s bedroom, hiding under a bed,” the SP said and added that Gogoi later called up the police to inform them that he had caught the boy illegally entering his property and suspected him to be a thief.

    “He said the boy was beaten up and hospitalised. In the meanwhile, the boy’s mother lodged a complaint with us stating that his ears have been slit. We registered a case. The accused has been arrested,” the SP said.

    He also said according to the boy’s mother, he is an 18-year-old and not a minor. However, the girl is a minor, the SP added.

  • Man accused of murder burnt alive during public hearing in Assam’s Nagaon

    By Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: A man in Assam was allegedly burnt alive after a kangaroo court held him guilty of murdering a woman.

    The deceased was identified as Ranjit Bordoloi, the prime accused in the case.

    The incident occurred at Bor Lalung village in central Assam’s Nagaon district. The police picked up five persons, including three women, for interrogation.

    According to reports, a woman, Sabita Pator, died three days ago under mysterious circumstances. Later, another woman in the village claimed that Pator was murdered by a gang of five persons including Ranjit Bordoloi

    At a subsequent public hearing in the village, Bordoloi had reportedly admitted to strangling Pator to death. Infuriated by the confession, the public allegedly tied the man to a tree, burnt him alive and buried the body. It was later exhumed by the police. 

    “We received information that a man was burnt alive after a public hearing where he was held guilty of murdering another person. We have recovered the body and detained some people,” a police officer said, adding, “Our investigation is on.”

  • Murmu to meet NDA MPs, MLAs in Assam to seek support for presidential poll

    By PTI

    GUWAHATI: NDA presidential nominee Droupadi Murmu arrived here late on Tuesday night to seek support for the July 18 poll and will meet MPs and legislators of the ruling BJP and its allies the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the United Peoples’ Party Liberal (UPPL).

    Accompanied by Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Murmu arrived here from Manipur’s capital Imphal and was received at the airport by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

    The NDA presidential candidate’s visit to Assam is part of her campaign for the election. She will have a meeting with MPs and MLAs of the BJP and its allies at a city hotel here on Wednesday to seek votes, party sources here said.

    The BJP has nine Lok Sabha MPs and four parliamentarians in the Upper house while the AGP and the UPPL have one each in Rajya Sabha.

    The 126-member legislative assembly currently comprises 78 MLAs of the ruling NDA with the BJP having 62 legislators, while its allies AGP and UPPL have nine and seven respectively.

    AIUDF Chief Badruddin Ajmal said that his party will also support Murmu. The party has Ajmal as the lone MP in the Lok Sabha besides 15 MLAs in the state legislature.

    Former Union minister Yashwant Sinha is the joint opposition candidate for the upcoming presidential poll and is also scheduled to visit Assam to seek votes from members of parties supporting him.

  • Assam flood: Five more die, over 18.35 lakh people still affected 

    By PTI

    GUWAHATI: Assam’s flood situation improved on Sunday as the number of affected people declined to over 18.35 lakh from the previous day’s 22.17 lakh even as five more persons lost their lives due to the deluge, an official bulletin said.

    According to the daily bulletin issued by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), the five persons drowned at various places in Karimganj, Lakhimpur, Nagaon and Sivasagar districts during the day.

    The toll due to the flood and landslides this year rose to 179 across the state. More than 18,35,500 people are still affected due to the flood across 23 districts, it added.

  • Flood situation in Assam worsens, five more people die 

    By PTI

    GUWAHATI: The flood situation in Assam deteriorated on Tuesday with five more people losing their lives and 24.

    92 lakh people suffering in the deluge, officials said.

    Most parts of Silchar in Cachar district continued to remain underwater — over a week now, they said.

    Three people died in Cachar and one each in Morigaon and Dhubri.

    With these deaths, the toll in this year’s flood rose to 139, they added.

    Three people were also missing — two in Cachar and one in Chirang district, according to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).

    In the last 24 hours, 24.92 lakh people have been affected by the floods in 28 districts of the state.

    On Monday, 21.52 lakh people were suffering in 22 districts.

    Brahmaputra, Beki, Kopili, Barak and Kushiyara were flowing above the danger marks, while waters were receding in most other rivers.

    Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited the severely-affected districts of Bajali and Barpeta during the day and interacted with the affected people.

    In Bajali, he inspected a breached embankment at Kuruwa in Patacharkuchi and the flood situation at Charalpara Nayapara in Bhabanipur, besides visiting two relief camps.

    An amount of Rs 9 crore has been sanctioned for strengthening the embankment of Pahumara river and the construction of a road on it, he announced.

    In the worst-hit Barpeta district, Sarma visited three relief camps and assured the people that steps will be taken for dredging Harijan river.

    In Silchar, tourism minister Jayanta Malla Barua reviewed the flood relief and rescue operations.

    A team of the National Health Mission (NHM), led by its Assam Mission Director MS Lakshmi Priya, also visited the city to ensure proper medical facilities for the affected people.

    Medical officers and paramedical staff have been deployed and health camps started in the different relief centres for the prevention of diseases, a statement issued by NHM said.

    A total of 7,212 people were screened during the day, and those found to be very sick were sent to hospital.

    Cachar Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli said water pouches and water purifying tablets are being distributed among the people.

    Work is underway to repair the damaged dyke at Bethukandi, which led to the flooding of the city, Jalli said.

    A total of 2,389 villages in 72 revenue circles have been affected across the state, while 1,76,201 people have taken shelter in 555 relief camps, according to the ASDMA.

    Floodwaters have damaged 155 roads and five bridges, while seven embankments were breached — five in Hailakandi and two in Bishwanath, it said.

    A crop area of 85,673.62 hectares is still inundated and 4,304 animals were washed away.

    Largescale erosion was reported from Chirang, Dibrugarh and Hailakandi districts, among others.

    Two landslides were reported from Karimganj and Lakhimpur but there was no casualty.

  • Assam flood situation critical, Silchar submerged for sixth day, death count rises to 118

    By PTI

    GUWAHATI: The flood situation in Assam remained grim on Saturday with the death count rising to 118 and Silchar town in Cachar district submerged for the sixth straight day, officials said. Ten more people have died in the past 24 hours, two each from Barpeta, Dhubri, Karimganj and Udalguri districts and one death each from Cachar and Morigaon due to floods and landslides.

    The total population affected by the floods declined to 33.03 lakh in 28 districts as against the previous day’s figure of 45.34 lakh in 30 districts, a bulletin issued by the Assam State Management Disaster Authority (ASDMA) said.

    The situation improved marginally in some districts, as rivers showed a receding trend though the Brahmaputra at Dhubri and Kopili in Nagaon were flowing above the danger mark, the officials said. The Cachar district administration is engaged in rescue operations in Silchar to evacuate marooned people to safety, with priority on shifting ailing persons to hospital, Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli said.

    Packets with food, drinking water bottles and other essentials are being airdropped in the town by Indian Air Force helicopters, and this will continue till the situation improves, she said. Two drones have also been deployed in Silchar for carrying out flood inundation mapping as well as to provide relief materials to the affected people.

    ALSO READ | Garuda Aerospace deploys drones to support rescue efforts in flood-hit Assam

    Eight NDRF teams comprising 207 personnel from Itanagar and Bhubaneswar, along with an Army unit with 120 personnel and nine boats from Dimapur have been stationed in Silchar. Nearly three lakh people are under distress in Silchar with an acute shortage of food, clean drinking water and medicines, the officials said.

    The worst flood-affected districts in the state are Barpeta with 8,76,842 people in discomfort followed by Nagaon (5,08,475), Kamrup (4,01,512) and Dhubri (3,99,945), according to the ASDMA bulletin. The deluge has hit 93 revenue circles and 3,510 villages, while 2,65,788 people have taken shelter in 717 relief camps, it said.

    Relief materials were distributed from 409 delivery points among the flood-affected people, who have not taken shelter in the camps. Altogether, 312 houses were damaged during the last 24 hours, the ASDMA said.

    Large-scale erosion was also reported from several places, including Baksa, Biswanath, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Dibrugarh, Darrang, Golaghat, Hailakandi and Kamrup, it added. Meanwhile, a spokesperson of Reliance Foundation said it has been providing relief support to the Assam government since the devastating flood hit the state.

    Reliance Foundation’s field team has joined hands with different state government departments, the spokesperson told PTI. Reliance Industries Ltd MD Mukesh Ambani and his son Anant Ambani had on Friday donated Rs 25 crore to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF) to provide succour to people reeling under the deluge in the state.

  • Flood situation in Assam critical as Silchar remains underwater, toll rises to 108

    By PTI

    GUWAHATI: The flood situation in Assam was critical on Friday with 45.34 lakh people reeling under the deluge, officials said.

    The Brahmaputra and Barak rivers along with their tributaries are in spate, even as floodwaters started receding from a few areas, they said. The toll rose to 108 with seven deaths reported in the last 24 hours, they added.

    The situation in Silchar, considered ‘Gateway to Barak Valley’, is alarming with most areas still underwater, a district official said.

    The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said that it has further expedited rescue and relief operations with additional resources deployed in the severely affected districts, especially Cachar where Silchar is located.

    Eight NDRF teams with 207 personnel were brought in from Itanagar and Bhubaneswar, while an Army team with 120 members was sent in from Dimapur along with nine boats for the operations in Silchar, officials said.

    Additionally, two CRPF and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams were airlifted to Cachar, they added. The state government has started a helpline — 0361-2237219, 9401044617, and 1079 — for the situation in the district.

    Nearly 3 lakh people have been affected by an acute shortage of food, clean drinking water and medicines as almost the entire Silchar town is submerged in flood waters, officials said. Food packets, water bottles and other essentials are being dropped by Air Force helicopters, they said.

    The three districts in the valley — Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj — were severely affected by the rising waters of the Barak and Kushiara.

    The worst-affected district is Barpeta where 10,32,561 people are suffering, followed by Kamrup where 4,29,166 people have been hit.

    The devastating floods, caused by incessant rainfall, have affected 103 revenue circles and 4,536 villages. A total of 2,84,875 people have taken shelter in 759 relief camps across the state, it said.

    The flood also damaged 173 roads and 20 bridges, while two embankments each were breached in Baksa and Darrang districts. In all, 10,0869.7 hectares of crop area have been flooded.

    Largescale erosion has been reported in Baksa, Barpeta, Biswanath, Bongaigaon, Chirang, and Dhubri districts, among others.

  • Centre working closely with Assam government to overcome flood challenge: PM Narendra Modi

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday the Centre is continuously monitoring the flood situation in Assam and is working closely with the state government to provide all possible assistance to overcome the challenge.

    Over the last few days, parts of Assam have witnessed flooding due to heavy rainfall, he noted and said that his government is working closely with the state to provide all possible assistance to overcome the situation.

    “Army and NDRF teams are present in the flood affected areas. They are conducting evacuation operations and assisting those who are affected. The Air Force has conducted over 250 sorties as a part of the evacuation process,” he said.

    Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, ministers of the Assam government and officials are working round-the-clock in districts and helping those who have suffered, the prime minister said. “I pray for the safety and wellbeing of all those in affected areas and once again assure all possible support,” he said.

    The state is reeling under a devastating flood with 54.50 lakh people affected and 101 people losing their lives so far this year.

  • Congress slams Assam CM Himanta for conspiring to break Uddhav government

    By Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: The Congress slammed Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for conspiring to break the Uddhav Thackeray government in Maharashtra at a time when the people of Assam are suffering in devastating floods.

    Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah alleged some 40 MLAs of Maharashtra were held to ransom in Guwahati. He criticised Sarma for his indulgence in the “shameful” act.

    “CM Assam @himantabiswa should concentrate on his own job and provide adequate relief and rehabilitation and help the flood-affected people of Assam. He can do his politicking in happier times not now when people are crying for @mygovassam help,” Borah tweeted.

    CM Assam @himantabiswa should concentrate on his own job and provide adequate relief and rehabilitation and help the flood affected people of Assam. He can do his politicking in happier times not now when people are crying for @mygovassam help.
    — Bhupen kumar Borah (@BhupenKBorah) June 22, 2022
    Eknath Shinde, who is leading the group of Shiv Sena rebels, claimed he has 40 MLAs with him.

    Earlier on Wednesday morning, the Sena MLAs arrived at the Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi International airport in Guwahati in a chartered flight from Surat in Gujarat. Sources said the flight had 89 people on board, including cabin crew.

    The MLAs were received by Assam BJP MP Pallab Lochan Das and party MLA Sushanta Borgohain. Later, they were taken to Radisson Blu, a five-star hotel in the city, in three buses under police protection. An IPS officer led the police team.

    Shinde briefly spoke to journalists outside the airport.

    “There are 40 MLAs here. I don’t want to criticise anyone. We want to carry forward Balasaheb’s Hindutva,” he said.

    It was learnt Shinde had a meeting with the fellow MLAs at the hotel. Borgohain said he had no knowledge about it. He expressed ignorance also on reports that the Assam CM visited the hotel prior to the arrival of the MLAs.

    Sarma is widely known for his political acumen. He is one politician who can make or break a government. He successfully spearheaded many such missions in the Northeast.

    In the 2017 Manipur elections, the BJP had won 21 seats as against the Congress’ 28 in the 60-member House but Sarma managed to cobble up the numbers for the party to eventually help it form a coalition government.

    A few years ago, most MLAs of the ruling People’s Party of Arunachal had defected to the BJP and form a BJP government. Sarma had played a key role in it.