FRESH CITIZENSHIP BILL STIR BREWS, MIZORAM ON EDGE
AIZAWL: Security has been tightened in view of the ‘Black Day’ protests scheduled to be observed by the civil societies in Mizoram Tuesday against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill, a senior police officer said. Security has been beefed up in Aizawl and over 50 big towns and villages across the state for the protest rallies to be organised under the aegis of the NGO Coordination Committee — the umbrella organisation of major civil societies and students’ bodies. NGO officials said “black day” would be observed in view of the Centre’s intention of passing the proposed amendment to the Citizenship Act, 1955 during the week in the Rajya Sabha.
Political slugfest after death of another TMC member
MIDNAPORE: West Bengal’s ruling TMC has blamed the BJP for the alleged murder of its 44-year-old functionary, who was found dead in Hooghly on Friday. Police said TMC booth president, Ritesh Roy, may have been throttled. Roy’s body was found about 100 km from his native Contai in East Midnapore. He went missing on February 7. “It is a political murder, and BJP supporters are behind it,” said Kanishka Panda, a TMC leader from Contai. BJP leader Tapan Maity rubbished the allegation, saying, “It is a blatant lie. It has become a habit of TMC leaders to blame us for anything that happens to their party men.”
No plan to sign Nepal-india border strip map as yet: Min
KATHMANDU: Nepal’s foreign minister Pradeep Gyawali said there was no immediate plan to sign boundary maps with India at a time when both countries were having at least two major boundary disputes in Susta and Kalapani areas and many other minor disputes in 18,00-km border. Nepal and India had agreed on 182-sheet strip maps in 2007 but due to an agreement on boundary settlement in Susta and Kalapani, the two sides have failed to sign the agreement despite India’s repeated calls. Speaking at International Relations Committee of House of Representatives in Kathmandu, he said Nepal would not sign on the Nepal-india border strip map unless Kalapani and Susta disputes were resolved.
Three Assam cops on the run with smuggled gold: Police
GUWAHATI: The Assam Police have suspended and launched a manhunt for three police officers for allegedly decamping with 60 gold bars they had confiscated from smugglers. Deepak Kumar, police commissioner, Guwahati, said the matter came to light on February 3 when two men approached the police claiming that three cops had confiscated their gold bars. Kumar said the complainants were smuggling gold from Manipur to Shillong, when they were intercepted by Dispur sub-inspector Nitu Kalita, along with home guard unit staffers Faizur Rehman and Afzal Ali in Meghalaya on January 15.
Gadkari inaugurates several projects in Champaran
MOTIHARI: Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari Monday criss-crossed Champaran area, comprising two districts, and inaugurated and laid foundation stones for a slew of projects. Addressing a gathering at Krishi Kumbh in Motihari , Gadkari said his government has spent a huge amount on cleaning river Ganga. “There was talk that Ganga cannot be cleaned. But our government has pumped in ~26,000 crore. By the turn of March, the river will be as clean that one can take drink a glass of water from it,” he said.
Maoist carrying ~1-cr reward surrenders in Telangana
HYDERABAD: A top Maoist leader B Sudhakar, carrying a reward of ~1 crore on his head, is learnt to have surrendered before the Telangana police Monday. Sudhakar (51) hails from Sarangapur village of Nirmal district. His wife Madhavi, alias Neelima, also reportedly surrendered to the police along with him.