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Eventful 2008

Shameful arrest: Assam education minister Ripun Bora was arrested by CBI in Delhi on June 3 while he was trying to bribe one of its officials who was probing into the sensational Danial Topno murder case.

The Second Coming: The breakaway group of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) along with PLP united to bolster the regional politics. Both the AGP factions reunited on October 4 at the regional party’s general convention at Golaghat.

Farewell to arms: The cadres of A and C companies of ULFA’s crack unit ie 28th battalion announced an unilateral ceasefire on June 24 citing their aim at ensuring talk between ULFA and government.

String of clash: At least 55 people were killed more than two lakh people rendered homeless at the height of a communal riot that rocked Udalguri and Darrang districts of lower Assam during the first week of October.

First time first chance: Kalpana Chaudhury of Assam wowed the Asian countries striking gold at the first ever Asian Women Boxing Championship in Guwahati kickstarted on September 24.

Shocking blast: At least 84 people were killed more than 200 have been injured when a series of blast rocked Guwahati, Bongaigaon, Barpeta Road and Kokrajhar.

Violence atop the hills: At least 35 people were killed by DHD(J) outfit in a string of attack in North Cachar hills district in the first week of June.

Pride of Assam: Sahitya Akedemy Award to Dr Rita Chaudhury and Vidyasagar Narzary in the third week of December.

Acknowledgment: Dada saheb phalke awardee Dr Bhupen Hazarika awarded the firs ever Assam Ratna award by the Assam government.

End of an era: Noted singer and cultural icon Dilip Sarma passed away in the first week of October.

Courtesy: Azad Gogoi, Freelance Journalist.
Photographs: UB Photos

Comments

Dhruba Das's picture

Happy, Healthy, Safe New Year to all!
Chinmay Chakravarty's picture

Wish all of you in Assam Times a Happy Peaceful and Safe New Year 2009. Let us all join hands for a terror free New Year 2009. From Mumbai
swapan sinha's picture

Assam Times keep up the good work going, excel as high as beyond the sky...........
dubai's picture

wish you a happy new year to all asomia in the world
upasana khound's picture

this is a very good initiative to circulate the news around the world and it is beneficial particularly for those who are living outside the state, keep up the good work and have a great year ahead!!

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Security forces claimed to have killed a hardcore ULFA man during an encounter in Goalpara district on Monday. The encounter took place at Krishnai bordering Meghalaya in the wee hours when police launched an operation against the ULFA men who have been hiding in the area. Identified as Ruhit Rabha, the ULFA militant died on the spot while four others managed to flee from the spot. Later, police recovered some arms and ammunition from the spot. Operation is on to trace the four other militants.
The stage is set. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will visit Kokrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri on Tuesday. The AICC general secretary is likely to be accompanied by Digvijay Singh. Taling to assamtimes, APCC officials informed that Gandhi will visit some of the areas of the Kokrajhar, Dhubri and Chirang on Tuesday to take stock of the relief and rehabilitation measuresadopted by the state government for the violence hit people in the three districts.
A beefed up security scenario on Saturday failed to avert a powerful grenade explosion in Guwahati where a CRPF jawan lost his life and at least ten others, mostly CRPF jawans injured in Platanbazar. The deceased CRPF jawans was identified as Bhawani Singh who succumbed to injuries on the way to the GMCH. The injured have been rushed to the GMCH for treatment. They have been identified as Rajnil Gandhi, Bori Tanti, Ashok Khandakar, Babu Das, Dilip Kumar Sarma, Demsa Devi, Saheda Begum, Manoj Kumar, Upar Singh, Rinki Sarma, Umanath Sahani.
Trouble brews for a cabinet minister a few days after the prime accused of a sensation massacre was found dead. Seven local organizations on Saturday asked Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to drop cabinet minister Akon Bora who, they alleged, was involved in the massacre in Jugdal two years back. Talking to reporters these local organizations alleged that the prime accused Arjun Bordoloi was killed by Bora only to destroy the evidence of his involvement in the Jugdal case.
Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to visit the trouble hit Kokrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri districts on Tuesday. According to APCC, Gandhi would be accompanied by Digvijay Singh. Gandhi will visit some of the areas of the Kokrajhar, Dhubri and Chirang on Tuesday to take stock of the relief and rehabilitation measures.
Despite round-the-clock-vigil, miscreants time and again have been targeting Guwahati in the form of bomb explosion. A CRPF jawans was killed and nine others have been injured when suspected ULFA militants exploded a powerful grenade in the city on Saturday. The explosion took place at around 7-45 in the evening with a sound near the Paltanbazar police station where at least people, mostly CRPF jawans injured. One of them succumbed to his injuries on the way to GMCH.
The third special train to Bangalore is likely to leave Guwahati on Sep 20 to facilitate the return of those who had fled Bangalore and some other south Indian cities last month after rumours of attacks on people from the northeast. The state government will pay the cost of train tickets for those who are willing to return. According to the Northeast Frontier Railway, the notification is expected in a day or two. The Assam government had also directed the Transport Secretary to issue instructions to all the Deputy Commissioners in the state to register the details of the people who inquire about the special train Sep 20 through the helpline created by the state government.
The second Bangalore bound special train will leave Guwahati on Saturday. The train is expected to carry over 1000 north east people back to the southern city who arrived in Guwahati fearing attack. Passengers can board the train only from Guwahati, Kamakhya, Rangia, New Bongaigaon and Kokrajhar railway stations. The passengers, who board the Bangalore special Saturday, will also get their tickets reimbursed.
Thousands of people took to the streets in Sivasagar, Jorhat and Dibrugarh districts on an all out war against Bangladeshi immigrants on Friday. Over 30 local organizations in Moran, Amguri and Golaghat took out huge processions demanding steps to detect and deport the immigrants. Amid the simmering protest, several suspected Bangladeshi immigrants were held in Sivasagar, Jorhat and Dibrugarh districts who were detained by police.
The entire state erupts in an all out drive against Bangladeshi immigrants after the influx awareness drive. Local residents in Sivasagar district have apprehended five suspected immigrants and handed them over to police on Friday. They were held at Namtola near Sonari in the wee hours and later were handed over to police. Local residents have claimed that they had no convincing evidence.Earliar on Thursday evening local residents in Seleng near Moriani in Jorhat district held to immigrants while 5 others managed to escape.