Land of Jewels (Sana Leibak)

Chidambaram warns of action against NE militants Guwahati, Jan 2: In a tough message against the backdrop of New Year-day serial blasts, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram today said security forces will deal with banned outfits in the north east "decisively" if they threaten peace and integrity of India but felt talks could be held with ULFA if it gave up sovereignty demand. "The leaders of banned organisations if they are listening as I speak now or read it in tomorrow's newspapers or watch television later in the day, they must get this clear message that security forces will deal decisively with the members of these banned organisations who threaten peace and integrity of India," he said. Addressing a press conference here after a review meeting with Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, who also chairs the Unified Command in the north east, Chidambaram said "no quarter would be given to militants." Condemning yesterday's blasts here in which five p...

Centre had provided intelligence to Assam: Chidambaram Guwahati, Jan 2: Refusing to blame intelligence failure for the serial blasts in Guwahati, Home Minister P Chidambaram today said that Assam police had acted "swiftly and decisively" on the inputs provided by the Centre but was "unlucky" to have missed the culprits. "Assam police nearly apprehended him (one of the blast suspects). A little bit of luck evaded Assam Police. I am sure next time Assam Police will be lucky," Chidambarm told reporters here. Chidambaram said the Centre had intelligence inputs which were passed on swiftly to the state. He disagreed that the blast occurred due to intelligence failure. "Assam police acted swiftly and decisively" but were unlucky not to apprehend the culprits, Chidambaram said in reply to a question. Chidambaram said riverine police should be set up in Assam along Brahmaputra. Asked whether the blasts were the result of intelligence failure, Assam Chief...

5 dead, 51 injured in serial blasts Guwahati, Jan 1: Three blasts took place in crowded areas of Guwahati today (Thursday), shortly before the arrival of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram. The Assam Chief Minister's Office confirmed that the low intensity blasts have left five persons dead and 51 others injured. The first bomb exploded in the Birubari area, injuring three persons. At least four people were injured when a suspected cycle bomb exploded at Bhootnath locality, which falls on the route Chidambaram was to take, shortly before his arrival. Three persons were injured in a blast outside a Big Bazar retail chain outlet at Bhangagarh, an upmarket commercial area near the Guwahati Medical College. Earlier, an Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) kept in a municipal corporation dustbin went off at around 3:00pm leaving three persons wounded. Assam DGP, GM Srivastava has said, “One person is in critical condition. We can confirm that the perpetrators are ULFA.” ''We had inf...