Guwahati, Feb. 17: In a major breakthrough, Paltan Bazar police nabbed a notorious criminal, one Dhiraj Das, from his house at North Guwahati yesterday in connection with the kidnapping of Shubham Banerjee, a schoolstudent and son of Mr Gautam Banerjee, proprietor of an established business firm in the city, B.N. Dey & Co. The court today remanded him to 10 days' police custody.

According to police sources, police was looking for Dhiraj since a long time. It may be mentioned here that suspected BLT militants had kidnapped Shubham Banerjee on December 14, 1998 from near Bora Service station, as he was returning from school. Police has found evidences of involvement of Dhiraj Das, a student of Arya Vidyapith College here, in the kidnapping of Shubham. Police had earlier gone to arrest Dhiraj from his house in connection with the kidnap of another student, Uttam Medhi (16) of Bharalumukh area of the city on February 15, but he flaunted an anticipatory bail order of the Gauhati High Court. The Gauhati High Court had allowed 12 days' time to Dhiraj to surrender before the magistrate concerned. The time was granted because the accused had pleaded that he was out of station. But on expiry of 10 days which was allowed to him earlier, he moved the court again for 10 days more time and the court granted him 12 days time, asking the police not to arrest him during this period in the Uttam Medhi kidnapping case. Circles concerned have expressed surprise that the High Court should have granted the prayer of an accused in the kidnap and murder of a student.

However, police moved yesterday again and nabbed him -- this time in the kidnapping case of Shubham Banerjee. It may be mentioned here that Uttam Medhi went missing from his house on December 29, 1998. Police investigation revealed that he had gone to Shillong along with a friend, one Sandip Das. A Bharalumukh police team went to Shillong but could not find Uttam. Meanwhile, some extortionists started to make telephone calls at the house of Mr Babli Medhi, father of Uttam Medhi who is also the owner of Nabin Medhi Market at Bharalumukh, demanding Rs 21 lakh. Investigations revealed that Uttam Medhi was kidnapped by the BLT. Meanwhile, police caught a BLT militant, one Suresh Boro, alias Sandip Das, who is also a student of Arya Vidyapith College. He revealed that he had kidnapped Uttam Medhi and handed him over to BLT leader George Basumatary at Jongarjuli under Boko police station in Kamrup district. Meanwhile, Dudhnoi police also caught a hard-core BLT militant, who was brought to Boko police station in connection with another case. It was revealed by him that Uttam Medhi was killed after his parents expressed inability to pay Rs 21 lakh. Interrogation of these BLT militants revealed further that Dhiraj Das was an important link in the whole chain. It was he who had introduced Uttam to Suresh Boro.

Guwahati, Feb 18: After lying low for a certain period recently, militants operating in the State have mounted their extortion drive all over the State creating panic among all sections of moneyed people including businessmen and tea planters.

Extortion by militants was on the decline especially during the last year as the Army and other security forces maintained a strict vigil on movement of ultras forcing them to reduce their mobility.

Sources informed that in view of the tight vigil by the security forces, the militants have now changed their modus operandi. In order to outwit the security forces, the extremist outfits now engage link men instead of their own cadres to collect money on their behalf.

Sources informed that the new strategy is paying rich dividend for the ultras as it is extremely difficult for the security personnel to prevent extortion done through link men having no criminal background. And there is no dearth of such link men who are more than willing to work for the ultras in the lure of the lucre.

Meanwhile, Boro militant outfits have intensified extortion drive in lower Assam district especially in Nalbari, Bongaigaon, Darrang and Barpeta districts.

It may be mentioned that Boro Liberation Tiger (BLT) has become more active in three districts of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon and Barpeta after withdrawal of three Border Security Force (BSF) battalions engaged in counter-insurgency operation there.

Guwahati, Feb 23: Speakers participating in a seminar on 'Effect of insurgency on women and children' today expressed concern over the deep scars inflicted on the psychology of women and children due to the prolonged insurgency situation in the State.

The seminar was organised by the Army at the headquarters of the 21 Mountain Division at Rangiya. Speaking on the topic, Dr Anuradha Dutta, head of Political Science Department, Gauhati University said, "The effect of insurgency on womenfolk had been devastating. The prolonged low-intensity 'conflicts' between the insurgents and the security forces in the State have affected every neighbourhood in the State of which womenfolk have been the worst sufferers". The situation is even worse in rural areas where insurgents are more active resulting in these areas being witness to more intensive counter-insurgency operations. The women of rural areas are today sandwiched between the militants and security personnel involved in counter-insurgency operations. On several occasions women are subjected to sexual harassment by both the insurgents and security personnel.

Dr Dutta said due to the prevailing situation there has been large-scale migration of women from rural areas to urban centres. The contribution of women to agricultural activities have been reduced as their mobility is affected due to constant presence of securitymen or ultras in their areas. As a result, the crop production was affected, Dr Dutta observed.

Dr Dutta, called for more transparency on part of the Army during counter insurgency operations and greater coordination with the civil administration.

She said insurgency and counter insurgency had left the State with a large number of young widows of militants as well as security personnel. The society should realise the trauma of these innocent victims of insurgency. Some of them are forced to take up the responsibility to sustain their families with tremendous hardship.

In a significant remark, Dr Dutta highlighted the need to involve womenfolk in the process of negotiating a settlement to the insurgency problem. She said women whose sons, husbands, brothers have gone astray, might play a vital role in bringing the insurgents back on the track.

The GOC of 21 Mountain Division, Major General AS Jamwal while participating in the deliberations said, "insurgency affects women and children both physically and mentally." He highlighted the plight of wives and children of killed militants as well as security personnel. He pointed out that even family members of the surviving militants have to live a life under constant fear.

The Army official said there had been instances when militants indirectly involved innocent children in their activities. He said children were being used by ultras as couriers and sometimes even to collect money on their behalf. There are occasions when insurgents try to use womenfolk as shield to dodge security personnel.

The GOC called for collective efforts to solve the problem. He suggested that the government should resort to intensive psychological campaign against militants through the media. He also put forward the suggestion that the Government should go for limited control of the media to prevent it from over publicising the violence committed by militants.

The Deputy Commissioner of Nalbari district, Dr Ashis Bhutani said "the war has shifted from the border to households leading to intra-family tension shaking the roots of the society."

He said today the State was confronted with large number of young widows, single parents and orphaned children due to continuing violence. "Forced prostitution by these helpless victims is the worst tragedy the society is facing today," he added.

In certain areas militants even resort to sexual harassment on womenfolk, he said adding that both women and children are inconvenienced during late night search operations conducted by security personnel.

Senior journalist, Sri Nitin Gokhale shared tragic experiences of affects of violence on women and children. He was of the opinion that though the plight of such women had been focussed by the media to some extent, much remained to be done in case of child victims of the continuing violence.

Guwahati, Feb 23: Rehabilitation projects undertaken by the Assam government to end the ethnic strife in Kokrajhar and Bongaigaon districts have damaged golden langur habitats in Lower Assam.

The primate, listed as an endangered species, is found in Assam and Bhutan.

Researchers working with the Indo-US primate project to restore the habitats of golden langurs said ethnic strife in the state has dealt a major blow to the species.

Massive deforestation in western Assam have isolated the langurs, found in the semi-evergreen and evergreen forests of the district. Of the 3,000 golden langurs all over the world, nearly 1,500 dwell in the forests between the rivers Sankosh and Manas.

"Further rehabilitation programmes will compound the crisis" said Arun Srivastav, scientist-in charge of the Indo-US primate project (Northeast). "A large number of trees and forests have been cleared by the villagers for cultivating mustard in Ultapani in Kokrajhar. This has affected the habitat of the species,'' said Jesu Das, who is working on the project.

A satellite survey conducted by the Assam State Remote Applications Centre has indicated a loss of 50 per cent of the langur population over the past decade.

The wildlife agency in collaboration with community conservation consultants and the central land and forest protection committee have chalked out a three-point working plan to save the species and the forests.

The plan envisages a political strategy to support the forests, interaction with communities residing in and around the area and developing education material in Assamese and English to highlight the need to protect the prmates. The programme is supported by a grant from the Margot Marsh Biodiversity Foundation.

Srivastav said the reserve forests should be given legal status and joint forest management should be introduced for scientific exploitation of resources.

The agency has built up a nursery and planted 1,400 saplings in the area. Joint patrolling of the forests have started and representatives from 72 villages have agreed to establish community groups around Ripu, Chirrang and Manas, where massive deforestation has taken place.

The resilient species, however, has been quick to adapt itself to the changing environment. A pair of golden langurs, which were released in Umananda, have given birth to a litter of seven.

Golaghat, Feb 24: A growing demand for rhino horns in east India and its barter for arms by the extremists of the region are pushing the Indian one-horned rhinoceros to the brink of extinction, says a Traffic India report. Rhino horns, which can fetch upto Rs 8 lakh per kg are bartered by the North-east militants with the poaching syndicates in Nagaland and neighbouring Myanmar for arms. Some evidence of such exchange came to light in Manas, the report said, adding that Assamese and Naga ultras sell the horns to fund their activities.

More than 800 rhinos have been killed by the poachers during the last one decade in India, mainly for the horns which enjoy a huge demand in East-Asian oriental medicine markets for its aphrodisiac and medicinal qualities. According to some accounts, rhino horn is one of the components put together to prepare basic printing dye to print fake currency notes in underground presses by militant outfits of the North-east.

Shillong, Feb 24: Coal traders of Meghalaya are now caught between the devil and the deep sea.

The A'chik National Volunteer Council militants, aided by the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) and some local thugs, had seized hundreds of coal trucks at Nonglam, Rajalu and Chemogoam, nearly five km north of Borsora in the West Khasi Hills district on February 18. Borsora is one of the largest transit points for exporting coal to Bangladesh.

Armed to the teeth, the Garo militants, who are fighting for a homeland for the tribal population, had abducted the truck drivers, handyman and loading staff of each truck and demanded Rs 10,000 from every owner for their release. The state police took almost 90 hours to bail out the truckers.

Coal exporters, political leaders and human rights organisations have expressed serious concern over the issue. Meghalaya home minister T.H. Rangad, said "appropriate steps" would be taken against the erring officials for their "failure" to tackle the situation in the initial stage.

Though the police claimed that the hostages were released without any payment, it has been reported in a section of the Press that the truckers had to pay ransom to the ANVC.

"We have incurred a huge loss during the crisis," a coal exporter said. However, the truck owners are not immediately thinking of withdrawing operations from the area as they have invested a lot of money, he added.

The Meghalaya International Traders' Association has also expressed concern over the incident. "Now it is government's responsibility to ensure the truckers' safety," D. Khonglah, secretary of the association said. "After all, coal traders earn a lot of foreign exchange," she added.

The traders are already under tremendous pressure from the NSCN(I-M) and Dima Halom Daoga militants. Both outfits are on a major extortion drive in the coal belts of Jaintia Hills and even robbed a bank in Khilehriat last year, intelligence sources said.

The other major underground outfit of the hill state, the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council, which is fighting for a sovereign "Khasiland", is also reportedly fleecing a section of the coal traders.

Coal export to Bangladesh from Meghalaya had come to a grinding halt in the Dawki-Tamabil sector from December 15 when the directorate of mineral resources made it mandatory for the coal-laden trucks to pass through a weigh bridge.

The Bangladeshi importers had objected to the introduction of the new system of measuring coal and stopped imports through the Dawki-Tamabil point. Khonglah said the directorate's arbitrary decision to introduce the new weighing system led to huge financial losses. The Centre had lost a revenue of $175,000 everyday when the export of coal was stopped at the Dawki-Tamabil sector, she said.

Coal export from Meghalaya has also suffered a major jolt as Bangladesh, the largest overseas buyer of the product, started importing coal from China, sources in the Union commerce ministry said. The importers in Bangladesh now prefer the "black diamond" from China as it is available throughout the year.

"The roads on the Indian side are so bad that the exporters cannot despatch their consignments throughout the year," an official said.

"The coal-based industries (mostly brick industries) in Bangladesh have been suffering because of the erratic supply and that is why they have switched to buying from China," he added.

Karimganj, Feb 26: Several persons in the Balipipla Gaon Panchayat have bee kidnapped by terrorists and later released. The villages of Karimganj district along the Assam-Tripura and Assam-Mizoram borders are living in a reign of terror.

Golakganj, Feb 27: The overall situation in the Dhubri district, especially in the Bodo Autonomous Council areas, is turning for the worse with each passing day. People of Khorkhori, Tongshi, Bashbari, Paglahat, Molandubi, Zaldoba under Golakganj PS in Dhubri district and Gossaigaon, Dingdinga, Hatidura, Srirampur of Kokrajhar district, are passing their days in great fear and anxiety, sources said. Shortage of security forces, hilly terrain and a long porous border with Bangladesh are the main reasons of growing militancy in Dhubri.

According to sources, on January 23 last , suspected NDFB militants set ablaze two night super buses and at Makrizhora area under Bagribari police station at around 3.30 am. The ultras, armed with AK-47 rifles, stopped the buses and ordered the passengers to get out. They then set the buses on fire along with all the belongings of the passengers. They also damaged a truck.

In another incident, NDFB militants blew up a truck carrying personnel of the Seventh AP Bn by using remote control devices at Malandubi under Golakganj PS at around 10 am killing an AP Bn personnel on the spot, besides injuring two others on February 16, sources said. The dead police personnel has been identified as Indrajit Sharma who hailed from Nalbari.

During this tense period, rebels from the organisations like ULFA are coming out in a big way and laying down arms. On January 26, in a simple function, eleven ULFA militants laid down arms before Deputy Commissioner, Dhubri at Dhubri Circuit House.