Kabindra Purkayastha

Kabindra Purkayastha

Mr. Kabindra Purkayastha was born on December 15 1931 in the Karamkhal district, Sylhet which is now a part of Bangladesh. He completed his studies and obtained a Masters Degree in Arts from Gauhati University.  

He was earlier the union minister of India. He had also served as the minister of communication during the Atal Bihari government from the year 1998 to 1999. He is also the senior leader of Assam’s Bharatiya Janata Party.

He has achieved various milestones during his course of being one of the ministers of the Indian constituency. In 1991, he was first elected to Lok Sabha from the Silchar constituency. He was re-elected in the year 1998 to Lok Sabha from the same constituency as was in 1991. From the year 1995-2001, Kabindra Purkayastha was the Vice President, B.J.P from the state of Assam. In 1998, Kabindra Purkayastha was re-elected to the 12th Lok Sabha and was also made the Union Minister of State, Communications.

In the year 2009, Kabindra Purkayastha was designated to the fifteenth Lok Sabha by giving a defeat to the strong contenders that included Indian National Congress’s Santosh Mohan Dev as well as Badruddin Ajmal who belonged to AUDF from the Silchar constituency.        

Other than achieving various positions, Kabindra Purkayastha is also a member of the various social organizations that are running with the aim of organizing the society.

He has visited various places within the country as well as abroad. Some of the countries which Kabindra Purkayastha has visited include China, America, France, Bangladesh, Mauritius, Switzerland, South Africa, Kenya and United Kingdom.

Silchar

Silchar

Silchar is the town in the Cachar district of Assam. Silchar is stretched on the both edges of the famous river Barak. By the name of this river, there is the valley named as Barak Valley.

Although Silchar is the place which is chiefly populated by the Bengalis, this town is racing towards having a multi-ethnic society having people coming and settling here from variant parts of the country.

Silchar is the place in Assam that boasts scenic beauty with the river flowing on the eastern part of the town. Other than the scenic beauty offered by this town, Silchar is also considered as the educational hub of the country and is adorned with a Central University popularly known as the Assam University. Other than owning a national university, it also has a Medical college, The Silchar Medical College & Hospital. Also there are other popular institutes that can include National Institute of Technology, a polytechnic as well as the renowned Guru Charan College popularly known as the G.C. College.

With the excellent geographic position, Silchar is considered to be an important business point. There are people from all over the country who keep visiting Silchar for business purposes. Silchar is believed to be the imperative commercial area of Assam. It is the trade as well as processing center of variant agricultural products such as tea and rice.

The majority of the inhabitants living in the city of Silchar are Sylhethi. Sylhethis are mainly the immigrants from the Sylhet district of undivided India. Apart from Sylhethis, Silchar also has inhabitants of other communities as well as tribes which are common to Assam as a state in broad-spectrum.

In the recent years, people have been coming to the town from various neighboring smaller areas for employment as well as educational opportunities that hence make the city to be listed as one of the highly populated areas in the state of Assam.

Other than people pouring in for availing the educational and employment opportunities, there are number of tourists that keep flowing in for enjoying the numerous places that are worth visiting while touring in Assam especially Silchar. Some of the major touriost attractions that are worth watching at least once include Narsing Akhra, Sri Sri Kancha Kanti Devi, Maniharan Tunnel, Milroy Sanctuary and Bhuban Hill.   

Useful Resources:
About Silchar City
About Cachar District
About Karimganj Town
About Hailakandi Town

Silchar as a tourist destination

Silchar as a tourist destination

Silchar commonly known amongst the people as the headquarters of Assam’s Cachar District is also recognized as a famous tourist attraction and is one of the places that can be visited again and again.

The major reason for the travelers and tourists liking this place so much is the numerous attractions and places that are worth watching at least once. There is assortment of the tourist attractions, ranging from the natural beauty that Silchar has to the architectural brilliance, the tourists places here have a lot to offer to the nature lovers.

The town of Silchar is completely surrounded by hills on all four sides making it a beautiful and serene place to explore. Since it is the place in the North eastern part of India having beauty and serene environment, it was also titled as the Island of Peace by the late Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi.

Talking about the tourist destinations, there are numerous places in Silchar that are woth visiting. Some of the most famous places that must be visited by any tourist visiting Silchar include the Sri Sri Kancha Kanti Devi Temple. This temple is in Udharband and on the way to the airport. It is 17 km way from Silchar. The temple was established with the images of Goddess in the year 1806. The temple has been reconstructed and is no more the same as it was years back.

Other than the Sri Sri Kancha Kanti Devi Temple, Khaspur is also one of the places that stay in the lists of tourists that have to be visited. This place is near the temple and at a distance of mere 3 km from Brajamohan Ashram. This place was the capital of the Cachhar kings during the 1690. The remains of the capital of Cachhar kings have a great importance and also are a visiting spot for the travelers and tourists. Though the original palace at this place does not exist anymore, all that is left there is the main entrance gate of the palace that is called as the Suryadwar. The main entrance is made in elephant patterns.

Other than this, there are various other places that can include Bubhan Hill which is situated on the Bhubaneswar Temple. Also there is Maniharan Tunnel which is at a distance of 5 km from Bhubaneswar Temple. It is believed that God Krishna used this tunnel. Holy river Tribeni flows down this tunnel. This place also has a temple complex where Hanuman, Lord Rama, Lakshmana as well as Garurha are worshipped.

Higher Education in Silchar

Higher Education in Silchar

Silchar is considered to be the head quarter of the Cachar district that lies in Assam. Not only headquarter; it is also the economic gateway to a part of Manipur and also Mizoram. Silchar is believed to be the second largest in Assam. With time, this town has gained exceptional commercial importance which can be clearly seen by the large number of people coming from distinct parts of the country that are settling in Silchar.

Not only in terms of commercial importance, the city is continually observing that there are a huge number of people from the smaller places nearby who are coming to Silchar as there are increasing future prospects along with the other developments in the fields of education, real estate market and also the medical facilities. 

With time, Silchar has become one of the places all over the country to have some of the finest educational institutions in the north eastern part of the country. Silchar is the place that boasts to have one of the branches of National Institute of Technology which was formerly called the regional Engineering Colleges. National Institute of Technology, Silchar is considered as one of the earliest made and oldest Engineering colleges in the North Eastern part of India. The National Institute of Technology Silchar is now called to be an Institute of National Importance in India.

Not only it has the well known NIT but after years of struggle, Silchar now has its very own Assam University which is the central university offering educational and professional courses in various streams.

The Assam University came into being in the year 1994 and by now there are 9 schools having 29 departments working under them helping the students to gain the best knowledge while studying at any of the departments. Not only this, the Assam University has 51 affiliated colleges under it.

There are numerous high schools and colleges that offer excellent education to the students. Amongst the list, some of the well known and reputed colleges include Cachar College, Aryan Jr. College, Surendra Memorial Jr. College, Hemangini Dey Memorial Jr. College, Ramanuj College, Guru Charan College and Radhamadhab College. Amongst all these best colleges, Guru Charan College is considered as one of the best, reputed and most respected colleges not only in Silchar but also all over the state of Assam.

Other than this, the city also has a well known Medical College which is called as the Silchar Medical College and Hospital which was established in the year 1968. This college has been imparting knowledge and serving the southern areas of the state of Assam.

Besides the medical college, there are Polytechnic Institutes, Industrial Training Institute (ITI) and Law colleges for those who wish to excel in the particular fields.      

Congress should field a fresher in Silchar: Gautam Roy

Congress should field a fresher in Silchar: Gautam Roy

SILCHAR, April 5: Sontosh Mohan Dev might not be in power, Excise Minister Gautam Roy’s tirade against the former Union Minister did not seem to die down. In an interview with The Sentinel, Roy even went to say that defeat in the Lok Sabha election had derailed Dev’s mental ability. Making a scathing attack on the senior leader, Roy said Dev had duped the people of Barak Valley with bogus promise that Lumding-Silchar broad-gauge would be completed by 2012. “I tell you, broad-gauge will never by completed by 2012 as tender for tunnel number 10 was still lying with the Rail Ministry”, maintaining this Roy said, Dev should have involved State’s Ministry and then only broad-gauge could be completed in the stipulated time. Roy did not solely concentrated on the former Union Minister, rather he directed against Dev’s MLA wife Bithika Dev. Roy said, Bithika’s performance in the Assembly was horrible and thus party should field some new faces in the next Assembly election in Silchar. Roy however uttered a few words of praise for Silchar Municipality Chairperson Susmita Dev. Roy said, he was aware that a group of ruling party Ward Commissioners had been creating problem for Susmita which they should not have done. “I have talked to Susmita and advised her to continue her work along with all the Ward Commissioners unlike her father.” Roy openly admitted that in the forthcoming election the ruling party have to face anti-incumbency factors, particularly due to price rise of the essential commodities. But this would not pose any threat for the Congress, mainly because of two reasons- first, everybody are aware that price rise was a national phenomenon and even in the non-Congress States, the picture was same. Secondly, there was no strong opposition in the State which could challenge the ruling party. Roy said, 2011 Assembly votes would be his last election. “For almost two and half decades I have been fighting election, I am now sick of it. New generation should come”, confessing this Roy however maintained that, since nobody from his constituency had come up with profound promise, he was compelled to fight the election again in 2011. He, however, hinted that in 2014 general election, he might contest from Silchar LS seat provided the party high command nominates him. THE SENTINEL

RSS chief rejects DNA test formula for identifying immigrants

RSS chief rejects DNA test formula for identifying immigrants

From our staff reporter

Silchar, March 8: RSS chief Mohanrao Bhagwat, while addressing a rally here last evening, very diplomatically rejected the All Assam Students’ Union’s (AASU) demand for conducting DNA tests to identify immigrants in the State. Rao did not mention the name of the student body at the meet and said DNA tests to detect illegal immigrants will not yeild results as DNA formation of the people of the South-east Asian countries like India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and even Iran has ample resemblance.

Casting doubts over the formulation of the updated National Register of Citizens (NRC), Bhagwat scoffed that it was a mere electoral issue. As election is nearing, political parties are poking the issue to garner political mileage and the entire process will be pushed to hibernation once the election is over, he said.

Making a scathing attack on the cultural and religious aggression by Christians and Muslims, Bhagwat said in a multi-lingual country like India, language cannot bind all the religious, ethnic groups. “Only Hindutva could act as a binding thread,” claiming this Bhagwat said, “Hindutva is not a mere religion, it is a way of life, it is the culture that has formed Indianness in its truest sense.” Former President APJ Abdul Kalam, in spite of being a Muslim, could realize the significance of Hindutva, he added.

Directly accusing Pakistan of funding and patronizing the Maoist movement, which has rocked India in the recent times, Bhagwat lamented that for narrow political gains, the Union Government was hesitant of taking stern action against the so called rebels.

He further lamented that in spite of having power, India has failed to apply it and neighbouring countries like Pakistan continues its tirade against India. THE SENTINEL

Former Manipur BJP president dies in Silchar

Former Manipur BJP president dies in Silchar

From our staff reporter

Silchar, March 8: Former Manipur BJP president Raghumani Sarma died of a massive cerebral stroke here this morning. Sarma was in Silchar to attend the chintan baithak and the public rally to be addressed by RSS chief Mohanrao Bhagawat.

Sources said Sarma was about to start for Imphal from Silchar Kalyan Ashram this morning when he took ill and was rushed to the Civil Hospital. But the doctors declared him brought dead. He was 78. His body was taken to the Silchar RSS and later to the BJP office where BJP’s State general secretary Ajit Bhattacharjee, Northeast co-ordinator P Chandra Sekhar Rao and district president Kirit Bhushan Purkhayastha paid homage to the departed soul. His body was then sent to Imphal by an ambulance. THE SENTINEL

Ajit Bhattacharjee’s unity call reveals rift in BJP

Ajit Bhattacharjee’s unity call reveals rift in BJP
 
From our Staff Reporter
Silchar, March 5: Kirit Bhushan Purkayastha along with his team accorded a warm welcome to newly-elected general secretary of Assam State Pradesh BJP, Ajit Bhattacharjee, who arrived in Silchar on Thursday. The absence of supporters of MP Kabindra Purkayastha at Kumbhirgram Airport to receive Bhattacharjee showed a clear rift in the district committee.

Sources said Kabindra Purkayastha was out of station as he was attending the Parliament session but his son, who is also his MP nominee, Kanad Purkayastha was also absent from the felicitation function of Bhattacharjee held at the party office.

Bhattacharjee, however, seemed the least surprised with this act of the Purkayastha lobby and said he would try his best to reunite the party to bring in the previous glory of the party before the Assembly election. Bhattcharjee was the district president for two consecutive terms when the BJP in Cachar won 15 seats in the Assembly election and Kabindra Purkayastha was elected for the Lok Sabha.

Bhattacharjee further said this time the BJP will announce the name of party candidates at least six months before the Assembly election so that the candidates could do ground work more meticulously. Claiming that the BJP had electoral alliance with the AGP, Bhattacharjee said the combined force will throw the Congress Government out of power. He hinted that BJP would contest in 35 Assembly seats. THE SENTINEL

NC Hills economic blockade begins

NC Hills economic blockade begins

From our Staff Reporter
Silchar, March 4: Hordes of people from Joypur-Rajabajar and Harinagar-Kumacherra, the sensitive areas bordering NC Hills, took to the streets as the economic blockade for the neighbouring district began today. The agitation was staged to put pressure on the district administration of both Cachar and NC Hills district to ensure safety of people along the border.

The local people resorted to stage the economic blockade after the body of a local trader Sujit Paul was found on Monday in the dense forests of Jijung Hill in the neighbouring district. Paul was allegedly kidnapped last week by NSCN(K) militants. 

Sources said the agitated people prevented transportation of goods to the markets of Lodibasti, Sankai and others in the NC Hills. The entire trade wing in this part of the hill district runs from the commodities transported from Barak Valley via Kumacherra. THE SENTINEL

Mahasweta for renaming as ‘Bhasa Shahid Station’

Mahasweta for renaming as ‘Bhasa Shahid Station’
 
Our Staff Reporter
Silchar, March 4: Noted Bengali writer and social activist Mahasweta Devi has sought intervention of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee for the change of nomenclature of Silchar Railway Station to “Bhasha Sahid Station” in respect of the 11 language martyrs who sacrificed their lives on May 19, 1961 when police fired on them at the railway station. The Magsaysay award winner, in separate letters to Chidambaram and Banerjee, urged upon them to ensure the speedy completion of the Silchar-Lumding Broad-gauge project as well.

In a letter written in Bengali to Mamata Banerjee,  Mahasweta Devi said the language movement of Barak Valley will complete its golden jubilee next year and the Railway Ministry should give a nod to the public demand for change of nomenclature to Bhasha Sahid Station.THE SENTINEL

NFR rejects fears over Broad-Gauge schedule

NFR rejects fears over BG schedule
 
From our Staff Reporter
Silchar, March 4: “Even though the Railway Department gave word that the Silchar-Lumding Broad-Gauge conversion project would be completed by 2012, there lies an array of doubts to the statement as the department has not yet applied for land acquisition to the Forest Department for the construction of railway tracks,” said State Excise Minister Gautam Roy. He said there is not much chance for the project to be completed on time.

An NF railway official, however, in its Maligaon headquarters told The Sentinel that the Railway Department had long before applied for land acquisition to the Forest Department. He further said that it was a lengthy process as the matter was first addressed to the NC Hills Autonomous district Council and then to Dispur and finally it would be sent to the Central Government for its final approval. He also said all the formalities have almost been completed and the final approval would reach within a couple of months.

He further informed this scribe that approval was required only for a stretch about 60 km from lower Haflong to Harangajao where the broad-gauge track would have new alignment in lieu to the existing one. The NFR official further said since the Silchar-Lumding broad-gauge was a national project, such trivial matters would not pose any major obstacle in its completion. He also said NFR General Manager Shiv Kumar had categorically maintained that the much awaited project would be completed within the stipulated period.

Meanwhile, Gautam Roy claimed that he had recently had a parley with Shiv Kumar and had asked him to submit the application to the Forest Ministry for acquisition of land. He said he had promised all sort of co-operation to get the approval passed as quickly as he could.

However, political circle in the Barak Valley was  skeptical about Gautam Roy’s statement as he blamed Central Minister Sontosh Mohan Dev for duping the common people of Barak Valley. Referring to last year’s meeting in Lumding which was attended by Hanique, two MPs from Silchar and Karimganj Kabindra Purkayastha and Lalit Mohan Shuklavaidya respectively and Dev as well as top level railway officials, where the latter announced that the project would be completed by 2012. Roy said, how could Dev and Hanique believe in such baseless claims by the Railways as it had not yet applied for land acquisition to the Forest Department. Sources said after being informed that the final approval for forest land acquisition from Delhi would reach the Railway Department soon, Roy now wanted to take the credit. THE SENTINEL

Hailakandi bandh receives mixed response

Hailakandi bandh receives mixed response

From our Staff Reporter

Silchar, March 3: The 12-hour Hailakandi bandh called by the All Cachar Karimganj hailakandi Students Association (ACKHSA) in protests against the indecent behaviour of Algapur MLA Rahul Roy received mixed response. Apart from few localities, all shops, market, government offices, school-colleges remained open. Moreover, vehicles piled on the road as usual.

Barowari Puja Committee brought out a cultural procession on Monday as part of the Holi celebrations in which Dreams also participated. It was alleged that Rahul Roy, who was driving his car, suddenly stopped his car and slapped Rupam in front of hundreds of people. Rahul then reportedly drove away from the spot.

It is to be noted that Rupam is the younger brother of Gautam Gupta who is the private secretary of Rahul’s father Excise Minister Gautam Roy. Meanwhile, Rahul made it clear that he had done the right job by slapping Rupam as the latter was harassing common people during the procession. Rahul said he would not hesitate to repeat the act if it is required.

Sources said Gautam Gupta was instrumental in using ACKSHA’s banner to call the bandh to teach Rahul a lesson. Previously too, Rahul and Gupta were seen engaged in such type of brawls. The sources further said police picked up 18 agitators who were later released. THE SENTINEL

Cachar College principal seeks apology from teachers

Cachar College principal seeks apology from teachers

Indefinite hunger strike ends

From our Staff Reporter

Silchar, March 3: The indefinite hunger strike staged by the teachers of Cachar College came to an end after 11 long hours as College principal Dr Debasish Kar tendered his written apology to them following their consistent pressure. Dr Kar also withdrew the show-cause notice issued by him to senior professor Santanu Dhar for allegedly occupying the principal’s chair in his absence.

The teachers of Cachar College resorted to an indefinite hunger strike demanding an unconditional apology from Cachar College principal Dr Debasish Kar for allegedly misbehaving with senior professor Santanu Dhar. It was reported that Dr Kar had misbehaved with Dhar and had also issued a show-cause notice for allegedly sitting on the principal’s chair.

The principal had out rightly rejected to bow down to the demands of the agitating teachers saying he was not wrong in scolding his sub-ordinate and in issuing the show-cause notice. He alleged that Dhar was sitting on the principal’s chair while Kar was on leave. It was reported that the college governing body had earlier instructed Prof Dhar to act as officiating principal during the absence of Dr Kar but, sources said Kar misbehaved and threatened Dhar with dire consequences after resuming office.

Governing body president Maskandar Ali Laskar tried to negotiate with both Dr Kar and the teachers and tried to convince the teachers to withdraw their strike. But they stuck to their demand. THE SENTINEL

Mrinal Hazarika and Dilip Nunisa come together for BG completion

Silchar, Feb 27: Mrinal Hazarika of the 28 battalion of the ULFA, which had laid down arms, and Dilip Nunisa of the pro-talk faction of the DHD made a scathing attack on the government for dilly-dallying the implementation of the Silchar-Lumding Broad Gauge project. The surrendered militants of both the ULFA and DHD (Nunisa) cried together for speedy implementation of the BG project during a convocation organized by the All Cachar Karimganj Hailakandi Students’ Association (ACKHSA) and All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) on Friday.

Nunisa, while addressing the meet, said the broadgauge work was slow even at places where there were no militant activities. He also alleged that the newly constructed bridge meant for the BG near Jatinga had already collapsed before any train moved over it. Hazarika, on the other hand, said Barak Valley is a part of Assam and it is the duty of all political and non-political organizations to initiate a joint movement for the speedy completion of the BG project.

Former president of Barak Upatyaka Banga Sahitya O Samskritik Sammelon Prof Subir Kar, in his speech as the chief guest, lambasted the intellectuals of Barak Valley saying they were afraid of the police and hence do not openly claim their demands.

Others who spoke on the occasion included former CPI-M MLA Dipak Bhattacharjee, ACKHSA president Rupam Nandi Purkayastha and ADSU president Prafulla Hafila. THE SENTINEL

Update on Silchar-Lumding broad gauge expansion project

RAJYA SABHA

On Lumding-Silchar-Jiribam, Badarpur-Kumarghat gauge conversion project, earthwork, major and minor bridges, tunneling and ballasting etc. have been taken up. Overall physical progress is about 45 per cent. The progress is adversely affected due to law and order problems in the region.

Cost of the project has increased due to various reasons including price escalation, change in scope of work, standard of construction etc. The anticipated coat as per Budget 2009-10 is Rs. 2500 crore. The project is targeted for completion by march 2012.

This information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Railways, Shri E. Ahamed in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

AKS/HK/LK/TR

Source: http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=55659On

ERDF planning for two new colleges in Barak Valley

ERDF planning for two new colleges in Barak Valley

From our Staff Reporter

Silchar, Feb 22: “ERD Foundation is planning to set up a pharmaceutical college and a women science college in Barak Valley by 2012,” stated its chairman Mahbubul Haque. Expressing grave concern at the present education scenario of the valley, Haque stressed upon the change of mindset of the students, guardians as well as educationists.

Haque further said it was a pity that adequate number of educational institutions were not coming up with innovative curriculum to cater to the demand of the present times. He cited the instance of the upcoming shopping malls which require a good number of floor management staff and said vocational training should be imparted to the unemployed youths to meet the demand. He also added the traditional education system ends up churning out loads of graduates who are not prepared for career prospects in the future.

Haque said institutions under ERDF have always stressed on forging tie-ups with various organizations so that students, after completing the course, could be easily employed. He further said Asom University, Silchar, in spite of having adequate funds has failed to rise to the expectation only because it was unable to introduce job-oriented syllabus.

“The foundation will organize an international seminar on global warming in its newly established engineering college in Ri-bhoi district,” he said. He also praised the Meghalaya Government for extending assistance to the ERDF for setting up an engineering college. THE SENTINEL

AATS seeks security for displaced Reangs

38 jhum-cultivating families forced to vacate their land

From our Staff Reporter

Silchar, Feb 18: Members of the All Assam Tribal Sangha (AATS) have urged upon the Cachar Deputy Commissioner to depute security forces for accompanying the members of the organization during their visit to Kanglaipahar in Dholai on Saturday. AATS secretary Galim Gangmei said the appeal to the DC was made after one Alainzad Barbhuya allegedly forced the Reang families residing in Kanglaipahar to vacate the place.

He said nearly 38 Reang families have been residing in the area earning their livelihood through jhum cultivation. Gangmei said the AATS is planning to rehabilitate the displaced Reangs and has sought assistance from the DC in this regard. A memorandum seeking security arrangement for the Reangs was also handed over to the DC in this regard, he added. THE SENTINEL

‘Reangs not involved in recent kidnapping’

Our Staff Reporter

Silchar, Feb 17: “Reangs are not involved in the kidnapping of forest guard Nizamuddin Majumdar,” claimed a spokesman of the newly formed United Democratic Liberation Front of Barak Valley (UDLFBV), Assam. He, while talking to The Sentinel, hinted that it might be the handiwork of Atabur Bahini, a gang of goons operating along the Assam-Mizoram border of South Hailakandi.

Majumdar was kidnapped at gun-point last week and unidentified miscreants have contacted his family members demanding Rs 10 lakh and 10 sets of mobile hand sets. Sources said the miscreants were speaking in broken Bengali and it was assumed that they might belong to the Reang community.

The outfit, UDLFBV, had recently come up after the Panchuram Reang-led United Liberation Front of Barak Valley (ULFBV) surrendered to the State Government while another Reang outfit United Democratic Liberation Army (UDLA) almost perished following the arrest of its leader Dhanyanram Reang.

On the other hand, Muslim militancy was on the rise along the sensitive border area as Atabur, once an accomplice of Dhanyaram, formed his own outfit and currently his group was active in the region. THE SENTINEL

‘Permanent police patrol post in Kalain soon’

‘Permanent police patrol post in Kalain soon’

From our Staff Reporter

Silchar, Feb 17: “A permanent police patrol post will be coming up soon in Kalain,” said State’s Excise Minister Gautam Roy today. The decision was taken by Roy after the recent kidnapping of Kalain Tea Estate assistant manager Chinmoy Kanti Paul was in news.

Roy along with his cabinet colleague from Barak Valley Dinesh Prasad Goala took up the matter to set up a patrol post with the IGP and it was decided that the post would come up in the near future.

Meanwhile, mystery shrouded over the kidnapping of Paul as no outfit has till now claimed the responsibility or demanded any ransom. Kalain, the entry point to South Assam has, in the recent times, become an easy prey-field for the militants from the neighbouring district as well as for local goons.

In 2002, Harshika Serawat, four-year old daughter of an assistant manager of Kalain TE, was picked up from her official quarters by suspected Dimasa militants. IGP (SB) Khagen Sarmah played a vital role in getting Harshika released from the clutches of the abductors, though the identity of the miscreants was not made public till now.

Subsequently, assistant manager of Bickrampur TE Junia Jagai was abducted by miscreants but was later released after he reportedly paid ransom to his abductors. In recent times, Faruq Ahmed, Majid Raja and Himangshu Das were also kidnapped and the miscreants eventually released them after getting a good amount of money, sources said.

But in the Chinmoy Paul kidnapping case, the most intriguing trait was that till now no outfit has claimed responsibility of the kidnapping neither any demand for ransom was made.

The Army swung to action immediately but success still eluded them. Sources said a gang of forest mafia involved in illegal collection of stones was behind the kidnapping. It further hinted that, forest officials were in no mood to co-operate with the army officials as well as the investigating police team. THE SENTINEL

Bhuban Hill toll rises to three

From our Staff Reporter

Silchar, Feb 16: Some pilgrims visiting Bhuban Hills to offer prayers to Lord Shiva on Maha Shivaratri Day were destined never to come back as three bodies of the devotees were found from the hill till now. One Shobha Rajbhor (14) died on the spot when a stone fell on her. Her body was recovered on Friday. 

Two more dead bodies of the pilgrims were recovered from Bhuban Hill today, taking the toll to three. One of the dead persons has been identified as Laxmi Narayan Nunia (55), a rickshaw puller of Koiya Tea garden in Lala, and the other has been identified as Kanan Bala Paul, a teacher of Karimganj. The bodies were recovered from a place called Hatubhanga in Bhuban Hill. 

On the other hand, one Hari Narayan Kurmi was found unconscious on the hill while a 60-year-old woman Chanmani Rabidas of Kashipur is missing till today. THE SENTINEL