Assam - The Purbottar

05 Jan

500 Congress ticket aspirants collect application forms for Assam Assembly polls

SonaliAssam

The process for the 2026 Assembly elections for the Congress party formally commenced today at Rajiv Bhavan in Guwahati with the release of application forms.Nearly 500 aspiring candidates have already collected the forms through the website www.apcc.assam.org.On the first day, five applicants officially submitted their nomination applications at Rajiv Bhavan.Each applicant has also deposited Rs 50,000 via demand draft as a contribution to the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC).Among the applicants, Bipul Gogoi, General Secretary (Organisation) of the APCC, has applied for the Tinkhong constituency. Gunakanta Gogoi has submitted his application for the Digboi constituency. Ranjita Pegu has applied for…

05 Jan

Migratory Bird Census Launched at 200+ Wetlands in Kaziranga

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

The seventh census of migratory birds at Kaziranga National Park in Assam has commenced, involving hundreds of enumerators and volunteers, as reported by an official on Monday. This bird count is set to take place across over 200 designated wetlands within the Eastern Assam, Nagaon, and Biswanath wildlife divisions of Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve (KNPTR), marking it as one of the largest such initiatives in India. Forest Minister for Haryana, Rao Narbir Singh, participated in the event's launch and engaged with the census team. The enumeration in the core area is being exclusively conducted by forest frontline staff,…

05 Jan

Sarbananda Sonowal highlights Gayan-Bayan’s power to foster inner peace

Banasree SarkarAssam

Sarbananda Sonowal, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW), attended the second biennial full-fledged state convention of the "Mridangiya Gayan-Bayan Sanstha, Assam," which was held in Rajgarh, Dibrugarh, along with a ceremonial program of Auniati Satra and a daylong Akhanda Bhagavat Path. Speaking to the crowd, Sarbananda Sonowal praised the organization's ongoing support of the mridangiya gayan-bayan tradition's practice, maintenance, and spread, characterizing it as an integral aspect of Assamese culture. A vital component of Assamese culture is the Mridangiya Gayan-Bayan tradition. It has enhanced our cultural environment and encouraged younger generations to stay anchored in our classical…

05 Jan

Amid Rongker Karkli Festivities, Karbi Anglong Land Dispute Moves Toward Key Legal Stage

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

The Karbi community in Assam's hill districts is celebrating the Rongker Karkli Festival, 2026, amidst significant legal developments concerning land rights in the region. This two-day post-harvest festival, held in Karbi Anglong and surrounding areas, is a major cultural event that involves rituals, traditional dances, ceremonies, and community feasts, emphasizing the community's rich heritage and their prayers for protection, agricultural success, and collective well-being. Concurrently, on January 5, key legal proceedings concerning land rights will take place in the Gauhati High Court. The Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) and Assam government are prepared to submit a joint affidavit in response…

05 Jan

Early-Morning Quake Shakes Assam and Neighbouring States; Two Injured in Morigaon

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

A strong earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale shook central Assam in the early hours of Monday, sending people rushing out of their homes in fear across many parts of the Northeast. The tremor was felt at around 4.17 am, when most people were asleep, leading to panic as houses and buildings shook for a few seconds. The National Centre for Seismology said the epicentre of the earthquake was in Morigaon district, located on the southern bank of the Brahmaputra. The quake originated at a depth of 50 kilometres below the earth’s surface. The exact coordinates were recorded at…

05 Jan

Assam Police Arrest Three Cyber Criminals in Major Crackdown

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Police have arrested three absconding cyber criminals from Morigaon district of Assam on charges of siphoning lakhs of rupees by availing loans from banks and financial institutions using fake documents. Morigaon Additional slSuperintendent of Police (Crime) Samiran Baishya said police were on the lookout for the trio since last year after a case was registered against them at Moirabari police station of the district under various sections of the BNS and IT Act."Based on specific information, an operation was carried out and the three were apprehended from their residences on Saturday night," he said

05 Jan

5.1 Magnitude Earthquake Jolts Assam, Triggers Panic Among Residents

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

A strong earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale jolted Assam and other parts of the Northeast early on Monday.The epicentre of the earthquake, which struck at 4:17 am, has been recorded near Assam's Morigaon district, according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS). the nodal agency of the Government of India that monitors earthquake activity in the country.The epicentre was at a depth of 50 kilometres, the NCS said in a post on X.The tremors that lasted for a few seconds jolted residents out of sleep and caused panic. However, no casualty or major damage has been reported so…

03 Jan

4 accused in Zubeen death case applies for bail

SonaliAssam

Four accused in singer Zubeen Garg's death case on Saturday filed bail petitions before the court. The Kamrup (Metro) District and Sessions Court, which is hearing the case, fixed January 17 as the next date of hearing when the bail objection by the public prosecutor will be filed.The four accused who have applied for bail are Zubeen’s band member Amritprava Mahanta, his cousin Sandipan Garg, a police officer, and two personal security officers of the singer Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya.The special court today took up the third hearing in the high-profile case, but deferred the framing of charges, granting…

03 Jan

Assam Govt Partners Hans Foundation to Discover Musical Talent in Tea Garden Schools

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

As part of its initiative to enhance holistic education among tea garden communities, The Hans Foundation, in collaboration with the Department of Secondary Education, Government of Assam, has launched a large-scale music talent hunt and mentorship program across 54 Model Schools in the tea gardens of Sonitpur, Tinsukia, and Dibrugarh districts. This effort is part of the Uttam Xikhya programme, which aims to improve educational access and quality for tea tribe children, with plans to expand from 54 to 101 schools by April 2025. During a review meeting, Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma emphasized the introduction of structured…

03 Jan

In Sipajhar, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma launches seed capital distribution under MMUA

Banasree SarkarAssam

Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, the chief minister of Assam, initiated the distribution of Rs 10,000 seed capital checks to 39,665 qualified female members of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in the Darrang district's Sipajhar Legislative Assembly Constituency. The program is a component of the flagship Mukhyamantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan (MMUA), which aims to empower rural women entrepreneurs and assist them in earning at least Rs 1 lakh annually. The Darrang district administration arranged a ceremonial distribution event in Ramgaon village in Sipajhar. Parliamentarian Dilip Saikia, Sipajhar lawmaker Dr. Paramananda Rajbongshi, District Commissioner Parag Kumar Kakaty, Co-District Commissioner Papori Das, and other dignitaries…