Daily News - 29 Jan, 2020
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Army Chief General M.M. Naravane said that there will be significant withdrawal of counter-insurgency, counter-terrorism and internal security forces posted in the North East in the coming 18-24 months. He said that two battalions have already been relaxed  from such duties and after the Bodoland elections the next relaxation will happen. He also said that the Army will continue to focus on  “conventional warfare” which is more of a “long-term objective.” Just a few days ago, 644 rebels belonging to eight insurgent  groups surrendered in Arms Laying Down Ceremony held at the Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) Auditorium. Chief Minister of Assam Sarbananda Sonowal, as well as various police officials, present during the event welcomed the move.

Human Rights Forum, a Tangla based NGO, has sought the attention of Udalguri Deputy Commissioner and Indian Oil Corporation Limited  (IOCL) over the arbitrary functioning of oil depots of Tangla town in Udalguri district. President of the Human Rights  Forum NGO, Sailen Kumar Sarmah in his letter claimed that as per guidelines the business hours of the oil depots are from 5.30 am to 10. 30 pm but a contrary picture is witnessed in the two oil depots of the town as their business hours are purportedly from  7.30 am to 8.30 pm, causing great inconvenience to people. The NGO has also sought action over the defunct oil depot of NRL in Tangla town run by Bharat Petroleum.

The Assam State PDS Kerosene Oil Hawkers’ Union on Monday expressed distress over the deteriorating condition that they are going through. Addressing a press meet here, president of the union Alam Patowary said that the previously determined quantity  of each hawker has been reduced drastically in recent times. Alam said that the hawkers are being attached to fair price shops because ration cardholders have to approach these shops for kerosene.

In the run-up to Village Defence Party (VDP) Day celebrations, the Hailakandi District Police organized a day-long programme at district headquarters recently. VDP Day will be observed across the State on January 29. Around 320 VDP volunteers from all  the six police station areas participated with great enthusiasm. DC Keerthi Jalli in presence of SP Pabindra Kumar Nath and other senior officials unfurled the VDP flag at Rabindra Bhawan premises.

On Wedmesday, ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal joined BJP. Last year, Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir joined the BJP in the presence of Union Ministers Arun Jaitley and Ravi Shankar Prasad ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. On the occasion, Gambhir,  37, thanked the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP)  for giving him an opportunity to serve the country.

A man with a pistol entered the venue of Shaheen Bagh protests in Delhi. The man reportedly threatened the gathering and asked the protestors to vacate the area. The man with the pistol allegedly shouted,  “clear the road or people will die.” The man  was soon overpowered by the locals. He was identified as one Mohammad Luqman (50), a  contractor and a resident of Shaheen Bagh. A case was registered against him. For the last few days, people have been asking Shaheen Bagh protestors to vacate the area as  the protests are causing traffic jams.

Sixteen patients in Punjab and two in Haryana have been quarantined on suspicion of having coronavirus. However, one death in Punjab’s Amritsar was due to swine flu. A 28-year-old man from Mohali in Punjab who had recently returned from China was admitted  to the PGI here after he was diagnosed with symptoms of coronavirus. The blood samples of all the patients have been sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune