Land of Jewels (Sana Leibak)

Dimapur, June 20 : The threat of shortage of essential items and consequently price hike in Nagaland, is looming with transporters in Assam finally calling for an indefinite ‘Chakka Jam’ from 5 AM this morning. The consequences of rampant extortion are finally taking effect with the truckers and transporters refusing to enter the state. The strike is in protest against the rampant extortion and collection of “unauthorized tax” by various Naga and non-Naga underground organizations in Nagaland and also assault on drivers. The truckers under the aegis of the All Assam Truck Owners, Driver, Handymen Association have decided not to cross “all Nagaland entry points” like Bokajan, Mariani and Amguri. This means all districts in the state will now face shortage of essential commodities, if the state government does not intervene with strong political will. More than twenty heavily-laden trucks with essential and perishable commodities are halted at Bokajan in view of the ‘Chakka Jam’; more ...

Trains escape date with disaster Guwahati, Dec. 21: The Adivasi militant group responsible for the explosion that killed five Rajdhani Express passengers a week ago would have spilt more blood on the tracks on Thursday evening had a railway patrol team not spoiled its plans in the nick of time. A routine inspection revealed that 10 girders and roller bearings were missing from a rail bridge over the Doyang in Golaghat district half an hour before the Mariani-Guwahati special passenger train was to pass by. The patrol party immediately alerted the nearest railway offices -- the bridge is between Jamguri and Bhilgaon railway stations under Lumding division -- and all trains scheduled to ply on that route were either suspended or halted. The Guwahati-bound Jan Shatabdi Express had crossed that portion of the track barely an hour earlier. Police said the Adivasi National Liberation Army was most likely behind the sabotage attempt. The same group triggered the blast on the Dibrugarh-bound R...