DIBRUGARH, Feb 8 — Just days before Wireless in Local Loop (WLL) services of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) was to start off in Assam, the defence and frequency allocation mandarins have decided that the facility has to be kept under wraps in the State. The reason? These “specialists” think that the militants would use the technology for subterfuge! Before going into a bit of a detail, it would be pertinent here to note that the Government of India had declared earlier that all the villages of the country would be linked by telephones by March 2002. Given the dismal track record of...

GUWAHATI, Feb 8— Adviser of All Bodo Students Union (ABSU), U G Brahma has stated that formation of Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) to solve the Bodo problem and rehabilitation of riot-hit Adivasi people are two separate issues which should not be mixed up by any quarter. Talking to The Assam Tribune from Kokrajhar over phone today, the ABSU leader in response to opposition aired by Adivasi Cobra Militant of Assam (ACMA) to formation of the BTC before taking concrete steps for rehabilitation and protection of rights of Adivasis living in Bodoland areas, said that ABSU was prepared to...

GUWAHATI, Feb 8 – The Army has denied involvement in the rape case at Nayamati under Misamari police station as reported in a section of the Press recently. A Defence press release said here that the charge is an attempt to tarnish the image of the Army in the eyes of public. The release further said that on February 4 one Betet Koch was apprehended by the Army for possession of illegal arms following which a group of local Bodo women approached the army for his release, failing which they threatened to lodge a rape charge. It is a nefarious design of the militants to malign the image of the...

Imphal, February 08: Despite enhanced security measures, the armed attacks on candidates contesting in the forthcoming elections and their supporters continue unabated. Unidentified gunmen last night fired over 90 rounds of ammunition at the house of the Samata Party candidate contesting in 7 Andro Assembly constituency, Sahid Ahmed, causing damage to the walls and roofs of the house but fortunately, no casualties. According to reports around 10 unidentified gunmen armed with sophisticated weapons fired upon Sahid Ahmed's house, located at Yairipok, near Azad High School at around 9:15 pm from...

Imphal, February 08: The United Naga Council, UNC, has announced that it neither supports nor opposes any particular political party in the forthcoming Manipur Assembly elections, but insisted that the elected Naga MLAs must firmly abide by the declaration signed yesterday at Senapati. A statement issued jointly by the UNC Working Group also expressed deep appreciation to the candiates of the different political parties for their cooperation and commitment to work in the interest of the Naga people. It stated that yesterday's meeting of Naga candidates was convened in view of the common...