GUWAHATI, May 27? Militant outfit National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) received a major blow as nine of its members were killed in an encounter with security forces in the Mahamaya Reserve Forest in Dhubri district in the early hours today. Police sources said here that acting on specific information received by the police, troops of the Red Horns Division of the Army ambushed a group of 10 NDFB militants near Bonshijhora village in the Mahamaya Reserve Forest area around 5 a m today. The militants tried to escape by firing at the troops and by lobbing grenades, but nine militants were...

Imphal, May 27: Militants struck in a big way killing at least 11 Assam Rifles personnel and decamping with a large number of arms and ammunition including 4 AK rifles and one 2 inch mortar at Leplian Kuki village around 19 kms north-east of Saikul police station at around 10 this morning. In a statement the Press Spokesman of Assam Rifles confirmed the death of 11 soldiers including one Havildar identified as Shakti Singh Rana in the ambush but added that number of militants were also killed and wounded in the shoot out. The statement said that the incident occurred while Assam Rifles troops...

Imphal, May 26: The proposed merger of the MSCP to the Congress seems to have been shelved for the moment with the Congress leaders returning to Imphal today without finalizing the issue with the AICC. Rajya Sabha MP Rishang Keishing and Chief Minister O Ibobi along with other party leaders returned this evening. But a final agreement on the merger has been eluding the SPF partners. MSCP leaders including Th Chaoba are still in Delhi. One Congress leader who returned from Delhi today told The Sangai Express that the merger could not be finalized even though it was discussed with AICC president...

Imphal, May 26: Reacting to the news published in this paper on May 25, veteran Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP, Rishang Keishing today said that there is no question of any rift between him and Chief Minister O Ibobi over the merger issue of MSCP with the Congress. Minutes after he arrived from New Delhi today, the veteran Congress leader told The Sangai Express that the merger issue is to be decided by the AICC high command though the MPCC (I) members are at liberty to discuss the pros and cons of the issue. Rishang further said that no formal discussion over the merger issue has been...

Imphal, May 26: With unrest emerging within the ruling SPF over the issue of MSCP's merger with the Congress, several MLAs of the Opposition DPA have reportedly started entertaining the idea of joining the O Ibobi led Government as they feel that the DPA leadership will not be able to foist an alternative Government. When The Sangai Express tried to ascertain the reports, DPA spokesman and MLA S Ibohal evaded a direct answer but said the Opposition MLAs are keeping close contact with each other and viewing the development together. On the alleged move by around ten MLAs of the FPM which is...