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SSB seizes 20 kg ganja close to India-Nepal border; four arrested
The Sashastra Seema Bal seized over 20 kg of ganja near the India-Nepal border in West Bengal and arrested four alleged narcotics traffickers during an intelligence-based operation.
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Assam: Akhil Gogoi Appears in Kaliabor Court Over Kaziranga Eviction Protest Case
Assam: Sivasagar MLA and Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti leader Akhil Gogoi appeared before the Kaliabor Sub-Divisional Judicial Court on Wednesday in connection with a case related to a protest during an eviction drive in and around Kaziranga National Park . Gogoi appeared before the court in connection with the ongoing case and later spoke to reporters outside the court. He said both wildlife and people living in areas surrounding Kaziranga must be able to live safely and with dignity. “Protection of wildlife and the dignity of people must go together,” Gogoi said. The MLA also said the concerns of local residents should not be ignored while taking steps to protect animals and the environment. Gogoi further said he would not discuss the proposed reduction of the Eco-Sensitive Zone around Kaziranga at present, as the devastating flood situation in Upper Assam should not be overshadowed. He alleged that the severe flood situation in Upper Assam was the result of mistakes by the government. The remarks came after Gogoi appeared before the Kaliabor judicial court in connection with the case linked to the Kaziranga eviction protest. Also Read: SC Rejects Siddharth Sharma’s Plea to Transfer Case Outside Assam
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Assam govt moves to bring power closer to people, push decentralised governance
Inaugurating new Rs 81.20-crore DC office at Rupnagar, CM Sarma says it marks first phase of streamlining Guwahati administration
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How Did Anwesha Saikia Die at the Drug Party? Prime Accused Aryan Goswami Reveals Details
Aryan said, “I did not kill her. I only tried to save Anwesha. She was lying on the floor .” The post How Did Anwesha Saikia Die at the Drug Party? Prime Accused Aryan Goswami Reveals Details appeared first on Northeast Live .
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AAP MP Sanjay Singh slams Centre for failing to provide adequate assistance to flood-hit Assam
Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh has accused the Centre of failing to provide adequate assistance to Assam amid the ongoing flood crisis and demanded that the floods be declared a national disaster.
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Assam’s Jonai children brave risky boat journeys to school after floods wipe out key bridge
Assam: Jonai children risk boat journeys to reach school due to damaged bridge
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SSB seizes 20 kg ganja close to India-Nepal border; four arrested
Kolkata, Aug 19 The Sashastra Seema Bal has seized over 20 kg of Ganja close to the India-Nepal border and has apprehended four persons. The seizure took place around 11.45 p.m. on Tuesday at the PWD More on NH-327, about four km from the international border. "Acting on specific intelligence, a special Naka team of ‘E’ Company, Kadomanijote, 41 Bn SSB, intercepted three males and one female. A search of their luggage led to the recovery of 20.175 kg Ganja. They were immediately taken into custody," a senior SSB official said. All four are residents of West Bengal. They have been identified as Saberul , Basir Sk , Prasanta Biswas , and Manju Mahanta . The first two are residents of Islampur in the Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal. Biswas is from Cooch Behar and the woman is from Kharibari in Darjeeling. According to officials, the four are members of a gang involved in the trafficking of narcotics. During preliminary interrogation, they told the authorities that they were on their way to Bhalugara in Islampur from Cooch Behar. They claimed that they had procured the ganja from one Shiv Charan Biswas of Cooch Behar and planned to sell it. "Their phones have been seized, and call records and messages will be checked to track down other members of the gang. All four, along with the ganja and the phones, have been handed over to the Kharibari Police Station for further legal action under the NDPS Act," the official said. Narcotics trafficking is a major issue near the India-Nepal border. Miscreants use the route that connects West Bengal to Bihar. There is also cross-border smuggling of narcotics. The SSB personnel are extremely vigilant as the border is open. Citizens of India and Nepal need no passports or visas to cross the border. Hence, intelligence-based operations are essential to thwart cross-border crimes. "Criminals from both West Bengal and Bihar also use the area to move contraband between the two states. The National Highway has to be patrolled by the SSB as it is so close to the international border. This is an additional responsibility," the official added. There are also attempts to transport cattle illegally from Bihar to Assam through West Bengal. From Assam, the cattle are moved to Meghalaya or smuggled across the border to Bangladesh. This is another area of concern for the SSB. --IANS jg/dpb
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Rain wreaks havoc as multiple systems at play across regions
The IMD has forecast widespread rainfall across several parts of India until August 25, with heavy to extremely heavy rain likely at isolated locations, urging people in vulnerable urban and hilly areas to follow alerts and take necessary precautions.
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Video: Train Halts To Allow Elephant Herd To Cross Railway Track In Assam
Assam Forest staff and railway control ensured safe elephant crossing and train resumed.
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Working on people-centric governance model with easy access to public services, says Himanta Sarma
Guwahati, Aug 19 Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said the state government was working towards transforming District Commissioner offices across all 35 districts into people-centric centres of governance, with a focus on making public services more accessible and reducing the need for citizens to visit government offices. CM Sarma made the remarks after inaugurating the Integrated DC Office of Kamrup in Guwahati. Highlighting the government’s approach, the Chief Minister said the objective was to ensure that district administration becomes more responsive to the needs of ordinary citizens. “We are working with a holistic approach to develop District Commissioner Offices across all of Assam’s 35 districts as people-centric centres, delivering governance to the people,” CM Sarma said. He said the initiative was being pursued in line with the state government’s vision of “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance”, under which administrative processes should become simpler and more convenient for citizens. According to CM Sarma, the focus should not merely be on creating modern government infrastructure but on ensuring that people can access government services without having to make multiple visits to administrative offices. “We are working with the vision of Minimum Government, Maximum Governance - where the need for people to visit government offices comes down considerably,” he said. The Chief Minister said that whenever citizens need to visit a government office, they should be able to access the required services easily, get their queries resolved and return home satisfied. CM Sarma’s remarks underline the Assam government’s emphasis on improving last-mile delivery of governance and reducing the difficulties faced by citizens while accessing administrative services. The integrated office in Kamrup is part of this broader effort to strengthen district-level administration and provide citizens with a more streamlined interface with the government. The Chief Minister said similar efforts would be undertaken across the state’s 35 districts, with DC offices envisioned as accessible and citizen-oriented centres rather than merely traditional administrative establishments. The initiative comes amid the state government’s broader push towards administrative reforms, digitisation and improved public service delivery. CM Sarma said the ultimate measure of governance should be the ease with which ordinary citizens can access government services and get their grievances addressed. --IANS tdr/dpb
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Imphal: Two day general strike over NRC updation disrupts normal life #Gallery
The post Imphal: Two day general strike over NRC updation disrupts normal life #Gallery appeared first on Social News XYZ .
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SC Rejects Siddharth Sharma’s Plea to Transfer Case Outside Assam
The Supreme Court has dismissed a transfer petition filed by Siddharth Sharma, seeking to move the case related to the death of singer Zubeen Garg outside Assam. According to the initial report, the petition was heard in Court No. 3 by a bench comprising Justice B. V. Nagarathna and Justice R. Mahadevan. The bench rejected Sharma’s plea seeking the transfer of the case outside Assam. During the hearing, the court reportedly advised Sharma to place his trust in the Gauhati High Court and pursue the matter through the judicial system in Assam. The development comes amid the ongoing legal proceedings in the Zubeen Garg case, with Sharma seeking to have the case transferred outside the state. The Supreme Court’s decision means that the proceedings will continue within Assam’s judicial system. Also Read: ‘Give Assam a Permanent Flood Solution’: Sanjay Singh Appeals to PM Modi
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Sikkim DA Hike: Government Employees And Pensioners To Get 2% Increase
Sikkim government employees and retirees have received a 2% increase in dearness allowance and dearness relief, taking the rate from 58% to 60%. The revised rate will apply from January 1, 2026, with arrears expected before the Dashain festival. The move comes ahead of the proposed implementation of the 8th Pay Commission.
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Heartwarming Moment: Rajdhani Express Waits For Elephant Herd To Cross Tracks In Hojai; Take A Look!
In the early morning of Wednesday, August 19, 2026, the forest personnel observed the herd of elephants attempting to cross the tracks as the Rajdhani Express approached. According to reports, there were approximately 6000 wild elephants crossing the railway track.
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‘Neither I-Day celebrated in border schools nor Tricolour hoisted’: NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo slams Punjab govt
NEW DELHI: National Human Rights Commission member Priyank Kanoongo, in a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party , claimed that neither has Independence Day been celebrated in the schools and panchayats located in border villages adjacent to Pakistan nor has the tricolour been hoisted, adding that even the national anthem has not been
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AAP leader Sanjay Singh visits flood-affected area of Assam
অসমৰ বান পৰিস্থিতিৰ বুজ লৈ কেন্দ্ৰীয় চৰকাৰক শীঘ্ৰে ইয়াক ৰাষ্ট্ৰীয় সমস্যা হিচাপে ঘোষণা কৰাৰ দাবী আপৰ সাংসদ সঞ্জয় সিঙৰ ।
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Graham Staines murder: SC directs Odisha sentence review board to decide on murder convict Dara Singh's premature release plea
The Supreme Court has ordered the Odisha Sentence Review Board to decide on Rabindra Kumar Pal's plea. Pal, convicted in the Graham Staines murder case, has served over twenty-six years of his sentence. The court expressed dissatisfaction with the prolonged delay in considering his request for release.
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Three arrested with 55 kg cannabis at Guwahati Railway Station
The Guwahati Government Railway Police arrested three people after recovering 55 kg of cannabis at Guwahati Railway Station. The seizure comes amid intensified anti-drug operations as police investigate the source and destination of the consignment.
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Weather tomorrow: IMD forecasts rain over 20 states; very heavy showers in UP, MP, Uttarakhand
The India Meteorological Department forecasts widespread rainfall across many Indian states. Heavy to very heavy rain is expected in parts of Uttar Pradesh and the Himalayan region. Central and eastern India will also experience significant rainfall activity throughout the week. Northeastern states and the west coast are also under a rain watch. Fishermen are advised to exercise caution in coastal waters due to potential strong winds.
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‘Senior Citizens Convenience Is My Priority’: Assam CM
A new chapter in the administrative infrastructure of Kamrup Metropolitan district began on Wednesday, August 19, with the formal inauguration of the newly constructed Integrated Commissionerate Office in Guwahati. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma attended the event and officially inaugurated the modern office complex. Constructed at an estimated cost of around Rs 81 crore, the new commissionerate office covers an extensive area of approximately 12,695 square metres. In a move aimed at promoting clean energy and environmental sustainability, a 350-kilowatt solar power generation system has also been installed within the office premises. The new integrated facility is expected to significantly improve administrative services for residents of Guwahati . Earlier, the Kamrup district administration operated from comparatively limited infrastructure. With several important departments now brought under one roof, the new office is expected to make government services more accessible and reduce the need for citizens to visit multiple offices. According to the report, the government has been working to reduce unnecessary public footfall at Janata Bhawan in Dispur. He said the number of people visiting the state secretariat has already declined considerably over the past five years. He also announced plans to establish around nine to ten new sub-registrar offices across Guwahati. The move is aimed at making land and flat registration services more accessible and reducing repeated visits by citizens to registration offices. He added that greater powers have been delegated to ‘Sama Jila’ offices to simplify the registration process. He further stressed the need to make government offices more citizen-friendly, particularly for senior citizens. He directed that CCTV cameras be installed mandatorily in every room and corridor of the commissionerate office. Officials were also instructed to ensure that elderly citizens do not have to stand for long periods while accessing government services. He said the government is also considering bringing 59 departments in Guwahati under one roof by constructing a 12-storey central office complex. The new commissionerate complex includes parking facilities and a landscaped garden in front of the building. The Chief Minister also urged the Urban Development Department to take steps to preserve the nearby waterbody. A separate room has also been reserved within the commissionerate premises for legislators. Also, he further recalled that seven projects were taken up under the ‘One Day for Development’ initiative on January 5, 2023, with a budgetary allocation of Rs 2,000 crore. While most of these projects have already been inaugurated, he announced that the Integrated Directorate is expected to be opened in April next year. The new commissionerate office is expected to serve as a key administrative hub for Guwahati, streamlining public services and strengthening the delivery of government facilities across the Kamrup Metropolitan district. Also Read: Assam Cabinet Clears Youth Department, Coaching Rules, Child Protection Policy
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