Preeti Singh - The Purbottar

07 Jul

53 Deaths In 6 Months: Elephant Conflict Remains Major Challenge In Assam

Preeti SinghAssam

More than 3.14 lakh hectares of protected forest land in Assam continue to remain under encroachment, despite extensive eviction drives undertaken over the past decade, Forest and Environment Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah informed the State Assembly on Tuesday. Responding to questions during the Budget Session, the minister said that as of February 12, 2016, a total of 3,15,996.13 hectares of land in wildlife sanctuaries and reserve forests had been illegally occupied. Since then, the government has cleared encroachments from 25,588.77 hectares, including 16,937.25 hectares during the last five years. According to the figures placed before the House, 17,421.50 hectares of…

07 Jul

Lohgad Fort Murder: Police Say Siya Searched Interrogation Tactics, Seek Polygraph Test

Preeti SinghCrime

What kind of treatment do women face in police custody? What kind of questions are asked during interrogation? Siya Goel had searched for answers to all these questions on the internet even before her arrest. During the investigation of the Ketan Agarwal murder case in Pune, Maharashtra, the police have revealed this explosive information about Siya Goel. According to investigators, even before Siya was arrested in this case, she had searched on her mobile's search engine about police interrogation and how women are treated in police custody. Besides this, the main accused Siya Goel had also searched for detailed information…

06 Jul

ALA TV Renamed ‘Assam Assembly TV’ to Boost House Coverage

Preeti SinghAssam

Hindi has been included in the official proceedings of the Assam Assembly. From Monday, the start of the budget session, the state government has decided to include Hindi along with Assamese, English and Bodo in the House proceedings. With this decision, Hindi has for the first time received recognition as an official language of the Assam Assembly proceedings. The proposal was unanimously adopted at the General Purposes Committee meeting held on Saturday. Assembly Speaker Ranjit Kumar Das informed that Parliamentary Affairs Minister Piyush Hazarika, Minister Keshab Mahanta, Leader of Opposition Wajed Ali Choudhury and other members from both the ruling…

05 Jul

Jorhat Forest Dept Suspends Forester-II Pending Probe into Bribery Allegations

Preeti SinghAssam

A Forest Department official in Assam has been suspended after an audio clip of him purportedly demanding money from a dumper truck owner to operate illegally went viral on social media.According to an office order, Forester-II of the Jorhat Forest Division Montu Hazarika has been placed under suspension with immediate effect for allegedly indulging in corrupt practices.He has been asked to report to Mariani Range headquarters.Sources said the audio clip came to the notice of Assam Forest Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah, who directed the department to take immediate action. Acting on the Minister's instructions, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Jorhat Division,…

05 Jul

Assam Records 15% Growth in GST Collection in June, Tops National Average

Preeti SinghAssam

Assam witnessed a 15 per cent growth in GST collection in June compared to the corresponding period a year ago, Finance Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah said on Saturday.The GST collection in June stood at Rs 1,437 crore as against Rs 1,255 crore in the same month last year.“June 2026, witnessed 15 per cent GST growth compared to June 2025, well above the national average of 9 per cent, placing Assam among the country's top performing major states," he said after prticipating in a GST related meeting chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma with contractors empanelled across various departments of…

05 Jul

“A Life of Courage and Loyalty”: Kaziranga Pays Tribute to Patrol Elephant Joymala

Preeti SinghAssam, Latest

The Kaziranga National Park today accorded a tearful farewell to its legendary female patrol elephant, Joymala."Today, Kaziranga bows its head in tribute to one of its bravest guardians. Joymala was more than a patrol elephant, she was a silent protector who spent 34 years safeguarding the home of the tiger. From anti-poaching patrols to wildlife rescue operations, she stood beside our forest personnel through every challenge, helping protect one of the world's greatest tiger landscapes," said Forest Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah."The unforgettable 2004 moment, when a tiger leapt over her during patrol, became a symbol of the extraordinary courage and deepend…

05 Jul

Carrying the Tricolour Across the Channel: Ankita Konwar Makes Assam Proud

Preeti SinghAssam, India, International, Sports

Assam's endurance athlete Ankita Konwar has scripted history by becoming the first Assamese woman and the first woman from Northeast India to successfully complete an English Channel relay swim. Konwar was part of an international relay team that crossed the English Channel from Dover to Calais in 13 hours and 5 minutes. The relay began at 1:30 a.m. and concluded at 2:35 p.m. (London time), with all team members receiving medals in recognition of their achievement. The English Channel is widely regarded as one of the world's most demanding open-water swimming routes due to its icy waters, strong currents, unpredictable…

04 Jul

Major Drug Bust: 39,345 Bottles of Suspected Cough Syrup Worth ₹2.5 Crore Seized at Agartala Railway Station

Preeti SinghTripura

In a major anti-drug operation, the Tripura Police's Special Branch, in collaboration with the Government Railway Police (GRP), intercepted a large consignment of suspected banned cough syrup valued at over ₹2.5 crore from the parcel van of the Deoghar Express at Agartala Railway Station on the night of July 2. Acting on specific intelligence inputs, police teams conducted a detailed search of the parcel coach and recovered 39,345 bottles of suspected Eskuf and Fairdyl cough syrup. The bottles had been concealed inside 81 sealed metal drums in an apparent attempt to avoid detection by law enforcement agencies. The joint operation…

02 Jul

Centre Assures Assam of SDRF, NDRF Aid as El Niño Threat Looms Over 12 Districts

Preeti SinghAssam

Flood fury continues in the state. The first wave of floods this monsoon has already affected 48,500 people across four districts. Many flood-hit families are facing severe crisis, with farmland, roads, bridges and other infrastructure damaged. In view of the grim flood situation, the Central Government has assured all assistance for rescue, relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction. On Wednesday, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, along with Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, visited several flood-affected areas of Dhemaji district. They conducted an aerial survey of the damaged areas and held a detailed review of the flood situation with state government ministers and…

01 Jul

Spear Corps Hosts I-Day Security Conference in Laipuli; Intelligence Sharing, Synergy Stressed

Preeti SinghAssam, India

As part of the ongoing Military- Civil Fusion initiative, the Red Shield Division under the aegis of Spear Corps organised a Security Conference at Laipuli on 01 July 2026 in preparation for the forthcoming Independence Day celebrations. The conference was aimed at strengthening inter-agency coordination and reviewing the overall security framework to ensure the peaceful and secure conduct of Independence Day. The conference was attended by Army officials and representatives of the Assam Police, including the SSP, Tinsukia and Dibrugarh.Deliberations focused on intelligence sharing, coordinated preventive measures, proactive security planning and enhanced inter-agency synergy to effectively address emerging security challenges.…