New Delhi: Two 18-year-old extortion notices by a banned terrorist outfit recently appeared at Vanghmun village, situated atop the Jampui Hills in North Tripura, across the state’s boundary with Mizoram.
These extortion notices, dated 2002, were received by Vanghmun village council president Zosangliana and they demanded Rs 200 from each household. The letters were signed by Md. D Bwskang, a self-styled deputy collector of the government of Twipra Kingdom, that was led by banned terrorist group National Liberation Front of Twipra (NLFT).
“We are trying to verify the genuineness of the two notices, however, we have started our investigation,” officer-in-charge of Vanghmun police station Shyamal Murasingh was quoted as saying.
Formed on 12 March 1989, the NLFT aimed to form a sovereign Tripura. In 1997, the outfit was banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and later under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
The group has been responsible for violent activities between 2005 and 2015 — 317 insurgency incidents had led to the deaths of 28 security forces and 62 civilians. Peace talks were initiated by the government with the NLFT in 2015 and there has been no violent activity by the group since 2016.
Last year, 88 members had laid down arms before the government but a small faction is still believed to be active.
‘Forest man’ Jadav Payeng is now part of US school curriculum
The story of Jadav Payeng, who single-handedly raised a 550-hectare forest on a barren sandbar in the island of Majuli in Assam, is now being taught to sixth grade students in Bristol Connecticut, US.
For his feat, Jadav was awarded the Padma Shri in 2015. He is also known as the ‘Forest Man of India’, a moniker conferred on him by the Jawaharlal Nehru University in 2012.
Navamee Sharma, a teacher at Greene Hills School in Bristol Connecticut, told Deccan Herald, “The students are studying about Padma Shri Jadav Payeng as a part of their ecology lesson. The primary reason was to inspire and encourage future generations of the country on how a single person can make a huge positive impact in the world if he or she has the right attitude and determination.”
Sharma, who is from Assam’s Jorhat district, also said students in her school had watched two documentaries on Payeng as part of their curriculum. Some other schools in Bristol have also included Payeng’s inspiring story as part of their curricula, according to the report.
Arunachal IAS officer starts crowdfunding to help students
Devansh Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Changlang in Arunachal Pradesh, has started a crowdfunding initiative to help students from financially weak backgrounds pursue higher studies in Delhi.
For his project, Yadav got in touch with one Bunnem Tangha, who works at the state’s women and child department. Tangha, who had studied in the Delhi University, helped Yadav identify deserving candidates who were unable to go outside the state for further studies.
Six students were initially identified, and three district toppers among them were finally selected.
“Their parents were not inclined to send them outside as they had never been outside the state. We thought that going to Delhi would be a good experience for them as they would be able to do more for the community upon their return,” Yadav has been quoted as saying.
He added, “Their travel charges and all other expenses would be borne by us.” In all, Rs. 1.5 lakh has been collected from the initiative so far.
Helipad on cricket ground leaves many ‘shocked’ in Assam
In Assam’s Dhubri district, the administration has constructed a helipad on top of three cricket pitches in its Zhagrapara stadium. Additionally, there is also a concrete road leading up to the helipad, obstructing chances for resumption of cricketing activities in the district’s only cricket ground.
Members of the Assam Cricket Association (ACA), who discovered the helipad during a routine visit to the stadium, said they were shocked to find the ground “destroyed” by the district administration.
“We are shocked to find concrete helipad and paver blocks right on top of three cricket pitches at the centre of the ground by the Dhubri district administration. As a part of our mission to develop grounds into proper cricketing fields across the state, a team of ACA went to Dhubri but the pathetic condition of the field is shocking,” ACA secretary Devajit Saikia said.
The matter was also brought to the notice of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
Dhubri Deputy Commissioner Ananta Lal Gyani has said, “The temporary helipad was constructed during the rainy season. That was constructed temporarily only for landing VVIP helicopters as there was no vacant field available due to the severe floods in the district.”
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