Assam - The Purbottar

09 Jan

Wildlife conservation push: Assam and Madhya Pradesh to exchange animals

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

In a landmark initiative for inter-state wildlife conservation, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav met Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in Guwahati to formalize an agreement for the exchange of wild animals. This collaboration aims to enhance biodiversity and restore species that have locally gone extinct. Under the agreement, Assam will translocate 50 wild water buffaloes to Madhya Pradesh over three years, as well as a pair of one-horned rhinoceroses and three king cobras. The rhinos and king cobras will be acclimatized and displayed at Van Vihar National Park in Bhopal, while the wild buffaloes will be reintroduced…

09 Jan

IMK terror module busted in Assam, Bangladesh links revealed through arrests

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

The recent arrest of 11 suspected jihadi operatives in Assam has unveiled a purported conspiracy linked to Imam Mahmudur Kafia (IMK), regarded as an extension of the banned Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). Law enforcement officials reported that IMK was actively seeking to incite jihad and execute terrorist operations in Assam and Tripura. Some detainees had traveled to Bangladesh for indoctrination and training. Investigative efforts highlighted that in late 2024, an arrested suspect, Nasim Uddin alias Tamim, encountered a YouTube channel advocating the notion of “Muzaddid,” which in Islamic tradition refers to a religious reformer expected every century to protect the Muslim…

09 Jan

Opposition in Assam lodges FIR against BJP alleging voter deletion

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Assam's opposition parties have filed a police complaint against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging a conspiracy to remove legitimate voters from the electoral rolls in anticipation of the upcoming Assembly elections. The opposition claims that BJP state president Dilip Saikia instructed party MLAs to eliminate names of voters in 60 Assembly constituencies and specifically charged Minister Ashok Singhal with executing this deletion during a Zoom meeting on January 4, 2026. The complaint emphasizes the need for the preservation of footage from the video conference, as it is deemed essential evidence of the alleged conspiracy. The FIR, submitted to the…

09 Jan

A study performed by Tezpur University finds indicators for early gallbladder cancer identification

Banasree SarkarAssam

Tezpur University (TU) researchers have discovered unique chemical signatures in blood that can distinguish between instances of gallbladder cancer with and without gallstones. This discovery may help with the early detection of one of the most aggressive and frequently missed tumors. The work, headed by research scholar Dr. Cinmoyee Baruah and assistant professor Dr. Pankaj Barah of Tezpur University's Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, was published in the American Chemical Society's Journal of Proteome Research. According to the study, certain blood-based "metabolic signatures" have been found that could be used as biomarkers for gallbladder cancer. As the third most…

08 Jan

Aaranyak–SBIF Promote Beekeeping to Mitigate Human–Elephant Conflict in Assam

SonaliAssam

Leading biodiversity conservation organisation Aaranyak, with support from the SBI Foundation (SBIF), has introduced community-based solutions to strengthen livelihoods while promoting peaceful coexistence between people and elephants in human–elephant conflict (HEC)-affected areas of Assam. As part of the initiative, Aaranyak distributed 20 bee boxes with live colonies to community members in No. 3 Bholatar, No. 2 Bamunjuli and No. 1 Tankibasti villages in Udalguri district. The programme aims to provide alternative and supplementary livelihood options for families facing repeated crop losses due to frequent elephant movement. In these villages, most households depend on paddy cultivation. However, recurring crop damage caused…

08 Jan

India–Israel film co-produced in Assam makes it to Pune International Film Festival

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

The Indo–Israel feature film ‘Murders Too Close – Love Too Far’, co-directed by Assamese filmmaker Manju Borah and Israeli filmmaker Dan Wolman, has been selected for screening at the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) 2026 in the Global Cinema section on January 17 and 19. This selection is a landmark for Assamese cinema, being the first international co-production involving Assamese and foreign entities, supported by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting through NFDC. The film was shot entirely in Assam with a local crew, highlighting the region's growing capabilities in cinema. Co-produced by Borah, Amir Gedalia, and Wolman, this 108-minute…

08 Jan

Gauhati High Court Bar Association takes to hunger strike over plan to shift Gauhati High Court

Banasree SarkarAssam

As resistance to the proposed judicial township in Rangmahal grew, members of the Gauhati High Court Bar Association (GHCBA) started a three-day hunger strike on January 8 in protest of the government's proposal to move the Gauhati High Court's principal seat to North Guwahati. The protest began at 10 a.m. in front of the former High Court building in Uzan Bazar and was set to last for six hours every day. It comes after a resolution that was approved earlier this week at the Bar Association's emergent extraordinary general meeting. The agitation is being led by K N Choudhury, president…

08 Jan

Bangladesh Approves Tk 1,462 Crore Diesel Import from Assam’s Numaligarh Refinery via Friendship Pipeline

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Bangladesh has decided to import a large volume of diesel from India to meet its fuel demand for the year. The neighbouring country will procure 1.8 lakh tonnes of diesel from Assam’s state-owned Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) by December 2026, under an ongoing long-term fuel supply agreement between India and Bangladesh. The decision to go ahead with the import plan was taken at a meeting of the Government Purchase Advisory Committee held at the Dhaka Secretariat. The meeting was chaired by Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed. Officials said the move is aimed at ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted supply of…

08 Jan

Kaziranga authorities impose ban on community fishing as Magh Bihu approaches

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Traditional community fishing during Bhogali (Magh) Bihu has been banned in the wetlands of Kaziranga National Park as per a directive from the Gauhati High Court. In response to the court ruling, officials from the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) convened with representatives from the Golaghat district administration, Kaliabar sub-divisional administration, and local residents to communicate the prohibition and discuss its enforcement. The ban is specifically in effect within the National Park and its wetlands, which are considered critical breeding grounds for fish across Assam. Dr. Sonali Ghosh, Field Director of KNPTR, reiterated that no traditional fishing activities…

08 Jan

Disciplinary action: Assam Congress ousts senior leader

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

A day after his suspension, Shahnawaz Ahmed was expelled from the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) due to serious breaches of party discipline. The expulsion, mandated by APCC president Gaurav Gogoi, cited Ahmed's involvement in violent behavior and actions that cultivated severe political animosity among party members, ultimately harming the party's reputation. The order, issued by APCC general secretary Bipul Gogoi, detailed allegations against Ahmed regarding a violent incident that occurred in Nilambazar, where he reportedly attacked Zila Parishad member Zillur Chowdhury with a sharp weapon, resulting in significant injuries. Chowdhury is currently receiving treatment at Silchar Medical College and…