GUWAHATI, Aug 18 ? The people of Assam today spontaneously registered their protest against the brutal killing of 14 women and children in Dhemaji on the Independence Day by observing a 12-hour Assam bandh. Apart from a few stray incidents of pelting of stones, the bandh was by and large peaceful. The call for the bandh was given by the All Assam Students? Union (AASU) in protest against the killing of innocent women and children in Dhemaji and demanding resignation of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for the failure of the Government to protect the lives of innocent people. The AASU is also...

DIMAPUR, Aug 16 ? NSCN-IM observed ?Independence Day? at its Council headquarters at Camp Hebron in Intangki Reserved Forest near here on August 14. Chairman of the outfit Isak Chishi Swu, who is the president of the ?Government of the People?s Republic of Nagalim? (GPRN) in exile, greeted the people on the occasion of the 57th Independence Day. The presidential address was read out by Rh. Raising, Kilo kilonser (Home Minister) of the group who was the chief guest at the function.

A gathering of nearly 5,000 people witnessed the promotion of lieutenants, colonels, captains and majors of the...

IMPHAL, Aug 17 ? Student leader Pebam Chittaranjan who died of burns on Monday after setting himself ablaze in protest against the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, alleged in a letter puportedly written by him that the people of Manipur were living under ?colonial rule?.

In the letter, written on Friday and released to the local press by some of his friends on Monday, he claimed that neither the state government nor the Centre was bothered to protect human rights in Manipur. Chittaranjan alleged that the people of the state had been suffering for years due to ?torture, excesses and...

IMPHAL, Aug 17 ? Organisations spearheading the stir for removal of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act from Manipur have demanded resignation of all the MLAs within five days from today failing which they would ?face the wrath of the people.? A spokesman of the 32 organisations told PTI that since the MLAs had failed to protect the interests of the people, they should be held responsible for the deaths of student leader Pebam Chittaranjan and Kangjam Memita during the ongoing agitation.

Chittaranjan, advisor to the Manipur Students Federation, who received 90 percent burns while attempting to...

NEW DELHI, Aug 17 ? Under pressure to act fast, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil today extended an unconditional offer for talks with the agitators in Manipur, even as the threat of the Centre clamping President?s Rule in the State loomed large. The Union Government would like to give the elected Government in Manipur an opportunity, but if it fails to do its duty then the nation would do its duty, Patil said, throwing enough hints that the Centre would not hesitate to act in the larger national interest if the situation so demanded. The Union Home Minister?s offer for talks came after the...