Page 4 - Assam

Sitharaman lays foundation for Assam's first tech, vocational university

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday laid the foundation stone for Assam's first university focussed on technical and vocational education and training. The 'Swahid Kanaklata Barua State University' is being built at a cost of Rs 415 crore at Bholaguri in Gohpur in Biswanath district. The university will come up in a total area of 241 acres, with a built-up area of 7 lakh sq ft. It will feature academic blocks for 2,000 students, hostels for 1,620 students, residential quarters, guest house and a student facility centre. The university will offer courses in various technology domains, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, cybersecurity, blockchain, drone and navigation technology, quantum computing, brain computer interface, internet of things, and smart cities and smart environments. The Union minister has been on a two-day visit to the state since Friday.

Assam gears up for high-profile visits by PM Modi, Shah in next 45 days

Union Finance Minister will arrive in Guwahati on November 7 and inspect the new semiconductor projects in Jagiroad

Projects worth ₹1.78 trillion to be launched by December: Assam CM

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that projects worth around Rs 1.78 lakh crore, committed during the investment summit earlier this year, will be launched by December. With the pouring in of investments and projects, youth will find more employment opportunities within the state, he said. The chief minister was speaking at a programme here on Friday evening for the laying of foundation stones for three major projects Medanta Super Speciality Hospital by Global Health Limited, Cocoon Mother and Childcare Hospital by RJ Corp Healthcare and the Lemon Tree five-star hotel. Asserting that the government has successfully projected a new image of Assam across the country, Sarma said investment commitments at Advantage Assam 2.0 are fructifying. He said that a thermal power project worth Rs 40,000 crore will soon commence in the state. By December, several projects, including multiple palm storage ventures worth Rs 30,000 crore, will begin, totalling investments of approxima

Gaurav Gogoi hits back at Himanta, says CM 'unfit' to hold office

A day after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma alleged that state Congress president Gaurav Gogoi is a "Pakistani agent, planted by foreign power", the opposition leader hit back on Saturday, claiming that such comments show that Sarma is "unfit" to hold his position as head of the government. Gogoi criticised the timing of the allegations on the day when the state's cultural icon Zubeen Garg's last movie was released on Friday. Sarma had been alleging Pakistani links of Gogoi through his British wife, with the chief minister reiterating the charges on Friday, and claiming that the Congress leader is a "Pakistani agent", planted by "foreign power", and that he had evidence to prove it. Reacting to the charges, Gogoi said in a post on X, "Over the past few months, Himanta Biswa Sarma dangoriya has lost credibility." "Yesterday, when the entire state was watching Zubeen Garg perform for the last time in 'Roi Roi Binale', the chief minister's comments showed his growing fear of

Singapore sends Zubeen Garg's post-mortem, toxicology reports to Assam SIT

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the Singapore authorities have sent singer Zubeen Garg's post-mortem and toxicology reports to the state police. He maintained that the Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing Garg's death, has made substantial progress and will submit the chargesheet in court within the stipulated time. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a programme here on Friday, Sarma said, When our SIT visited Singapore, they had assured of cooperation. Today, the Singapore authorities have formally sent the post-mortem and toxicology reports and their guidelines related to sea under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT). The 52-year-old singer-composer had died while swimming in the sea in Singapore on September 19. The 10-member SIT has arrested seven people so far, who are all currently in judicial custody. Sarma, who is also the state's home minister, asserted that the SIT will submit the chargesheet within the stipulated 90-day period. They (SIT

Zubeen's final film 'Roi Roi Binale' opens to packed halls across Assam

'Roi Roi Binale' (Tears still flow), the last film featuring popular singer-composer Zubeen Garg who died in Singapore last month, opened to packed shows across Assam on Friday. The first screening took place as early as 4.25 am at a multiplex in Guwahati with people queuing to watch their favourite star on the big screen for the last time. Shows started from morning hours in all cities of the state, with the movie also having a simultaneous nationwide release. With tickets of all shows for the next one week sold out, Garg's musical is expected to break all past box office records for Assamese cinema in the future. Most halls have scheduled up to seven shows a day, running till wee hours the next day to cater to demand. In 'Roi Roi Binale', Garg is playing the lead character, who is a blind musician. It has 11 songs, composed by himself. The film revolves around the life of a musician and his struggle. The trailer showed that his character was lying senseless on a sea beach and o

Assam halts all film screenings to honour Zubeen Garg's film Roi Roi Binale

The North East state comes together to celebrate the legacy of Zubeen Garg with an exclusive statewide screening of his final film, Roi Roi Binale

Assam CM orders police action after Bangladesh anthem sung at Congress meet

This is a blatant insult to the people of India and aligns with recent assertions by certain Bangladesh citizens that the North-East will eventually belong to Bangladesh, Sarma said

Assam CM, Priyank Kharge trade barbs amid row over semiconductor projects

Priyank Kharge sparked controversy with remarks questioning the decision to set up semiconductor industries in Assam and Gujarat instead of Bengaluru

Judicial custody of 5 accused in Zubeen's death case extended by 14-days

A local court here on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of the five accused in Zubeen Garg's death case by 14 days. The five accused are North East India Festival (NEIF) chief organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, the singer's manager Siddhartha Sharma, his cousin and police officer Sandipan Garg, and his personal security officers Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya. Lodged in Baksa jail, they were produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup Metropolitan, virtually, an official said. "The current judicial custody of the five accused will end tomorrow. They were produced before the CJM through virtual mode, and the custody was extended by 14 days," he said. Garg had died while swimming in the sea in Singapore on September 19, while visiting the Southeast Asian country to attend the 4th NEIF. The five accused were taken to the Baksa jail on October 16 at the end of police remand. Violence had erupted in front of the prison when they were brought with locals protesting the move.

We will file chargesheet, says Assam CM on Zubeen Garg's death case

Assam CM also expressed complete confidence in the SIT probe into the death of Zubeen Garg

Rail services disrupted in Assam after IED blast near Kokrajhar station

Railway services across Lower Assam and parts of north Bengal were disrupted early on Thursday after unidentified miscreants detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) on a railway track in Kokrajhar district, officials said. The explosion took place around five kilometres from Kokrajhar railway station on the route towards Salakati after midnight, an official said. "The blast ripped apart nearly three feet of railway line with fragments of the damaged track found strewn several metres away," he added. Kokrajhar Senior Superintendent of Police Pushpraj Singh said there were no reports of any casualties or derailment in the incident. "The damage was limited to a short portion of the track, which was promptly repaired. Train movement has resumed now," he added. Train operations were suspended overnight, affecting several Up and Down trains in Lower Assam and northern West Bengal till around 8 am, another official said. Railway and security personnel conducted thorough inspectio

Assam Police team reaches Singapore to probe singer Zubeen Garg's death

Two senior officials of the Assam Police reached Singapore on Monday to investigate the death of singer Zubeen Garg in the island country last month, an official said. An SIT under the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Assam Police is currently probing Garg's death case after more than 60 FIRs were lodged across the state. According to a senior official, CID Special DGP Munna Prasad Gupta and Titabor Co-District SP Tarun Goel have already reached Singapore in a direct flight from Guwahati. Gupta is heading the special investigation team (SIT), while Goel is a member of the nine-member group. The official declined to share the details of the probe in Singapore, but a source said the two SIT members will visit the "place of occurrence where Garg had breathed his last". "Linking the series of events with the place of occurrence is one of the most important aspects of the entire investigation process. Besides, the Assam Police team will sit with their counterparts in ...

A month on, Assam mourns Zubeen as family, fans seek answers on his death

Even after the passage of a month after the death of cultural icon Zubeen Garg, people of Assam continued to mourn the loss, seeking answers on the final moments of the singer. Garg died while swimming in the sea in Singapore on September 19. Garg's wife, Garima, said the family, along with the people of the state, are waiting to know what happened in his final moments, and expressed faith in the legal system to unravel the truth. Hundreds thronged Garg's cremation site at Sonapur, on the outskirts of Guwahati, since early this morning, paying tributes to their beloved singer-composer. Fans and friends of the singer-composer also visited his residence at Kahilipara area of the city and his studio in Zoo Road area to be with his family and join them in remembering him. A 10-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) of state police's CID is probing his death, with seven persons being arrested so far. Singapore Police are also conducting its investigation, with SIT officers from Assam

Infiltration stopped in Assam, illegal immigrants welcomed in Bengal: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday claimed that while infiltration has stopped in BJP-ruled Assam, it was continuing in adjoining West Bengal because the government there was giving a "red carpet welcome" to illegal immigrants. Addressing a media conclave in Patna, he also mocked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for having given up the diatribe on "vote theft", reiterating that Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls would weed out "infiltrators". "It is baffling that the opposition has been getting a bellyache over an exercise launched by the Election Commission, which would weed out infiltrators. I am fully in support of the SIR exercise, which would eventually take place in the entire country," he said at the conclave organised by ABP News and Hindustan. Shah, however, bristled when reminded of the opposition charge that if there were infiltrators in the country, the blame ought to be on the Narendra Modi government at the Centre, which has been in power at the ...

Assam cabinet expands as BPF MLA Charan Boro takes oath as minister

The Assam Cabinet was expanded on Saturday as Bodoland People's Front (BPF) MLA Charan Boro took oath as a minister. Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya administered the oath of office and secrecy to Boro, the second-time MLA from Majbat constituency. The development comes after the BPF, which had been supporting the ruling BJP-led coalition in the assembly without being a partner of it, swept the recently held Bodoland Territorial Council elections. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, several of his Cabinet colleagues and other dignitaries were present at the swearing-in ceremony held at the Raj Bhavan. Boro filled the last vacant position in the state council of ministers. With the latest induction, the cabinet now has 15 members of the BJP, including the CM, two of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and one each of the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) and the BPF. This is the fourth expansion of the Sarma-led Cabinet.

Situation normal in Assam's Baksa after Zubeen case unrest, net restored

The situation in Assam's Baksa district has returned to normal two days after violent protests erupted over the shifting of five accused in singer Zubeen Garg's death case to Baksa District Jail, an official said on Friday. Internet and mobile data services, which were suspended following the unrest, have been restored with immediate effect as there is "no further apprehension of public unrest or breach of peace," according to a notification issued by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Ajay Tewari. Meanwhile, two persons have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the violence and instigating the local people in attacking the convoy while 15 others involved in the incident have been identified from video footage so far, the official said. Security has been tightened in and around the jail, where the accused, including the late singer's manager, cousin, and two personal security officers, have been lodged following a court order. Prohibitory orders under Section 163 of BNSS .

Rahul Gandhi urges full probe into Zubeen Garg's death in Singapore

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said Zubeen Garg's family and the people of Assam have the right to know what happened to him in Singapore. The sooner the truth comes out, the better in Zubeen Garg's case, as the family needs closure, Gandhi said, after visiting the singer's family at their Kahilipara residence here. It is the duty of the Assam government to transparently investigate and tell the family exactly what happened in Singapore, the former Congress president said. The family has lost Zubeen, and they only want the truth to come out, Gandhi said. Garg died while swimming in the sea in Singapore on September 19.

Zubeen Garg death case: 2 accused band members remanded to judical custody

Two band members of Zubeen Garg Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amritprava Mahanta were remanded to judicial custody on Friday, after their 14 days of police remand ended in connection with the singer's death in Singapore last month. The duo was brought to court and later taken away in separate police vans, after the Kamrup Chief Judicial Magistrate remanded them to judicial custody. Authorities are tight-lipped about the prison where they will be lodged, following violence outside the Baksa District Jail where the five other accused in the case were taken on Wednesday, after they were remanded to judicial custody. Both Goswami and Mahanta were arrested on October 3 after several days of interrogation by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), and remanded to 14 days' police custody. Altogether, seven persons have been arrested by the SIT since October 1 in the case, and all have been remanded to judicial custody. Garg had died while swimming in the sea in Singapore on September 19.

Rahul Gandhi to visit Assam today for paying tribute to singer Zubeen Garg

Leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, is scheduled to arrive here on Friday to pay tribute to singer Zubeen Garg, who died in Singapore last month. Gandhi will visit Garg's resting place at Sonapur, on the outskirts of Guwahati, to offer his respects to him, a Congress leader said. He will also visit the singer's residence to convey his condolences to the bereaved family members, he said. Garg, 52, died in Singapore while swimming in the sea on September 19. He was cremated with state honours on September 23 near Guwahati. The Assam government formed an SIT that is investigating the circumstances that led to his death. Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi had visited the site on Thursday to review the arrangements for Gandhi's visit. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had on Thursday said that Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's visit to pay tribute to cultural icon Zubeen Garg was after 28 days of his death, but it is still 'better late than ..