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10/22/2008: "Traders march against killings - Dimapur business community threatens to shut down town OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph"

Traders march against killings - Dimapur business community threatens to shut down town OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph
Kohima, Oct. 20: The business community of Dimapur is finally knocking on the door of Union home ministry for security or else they have warned of indefinite closure of the town within a week’s time.
The business community organised a rally today in protest against the ongoing abduction and killing of non-Naga businessmen in Dimapur, the commercial hub of Nagaland. A memorandum will be sent to the ministry of home affairs to take proper measures for their safety. Hundreds of businessmen, mostly non-Nagas, took out a procession and denounced the abduction and killings of businessmen.
Shops and business establishments remained closed the whole day today. This year nearly 20 non-Naga businessmen have been killed by criminals and over 50 of them were abducted for ransom. Over 100 affluent non-Naga businessmen have fled Dimapur. But the state government has so far failed to arrest anyone in this connection.
Yesterday, the police recovered the body of Prasenjit Dhar from Bor Lengri, Karbi Anglong, Assam, with his throat slit after he was inhumanely tortured.
Dhar was abducted last Friday from his home at Lomthi colony in Dimapur by five armed men. The abductors demanded Rs 2 crore and later climbed down to Rs 50 lakh.
The business community has demanded the ministry of home affairs for deployment of more security forces, including India Reserve Battalion in Dimapur, setting up of more barracks and checkpoints in all the entry and exit points in the colonies. It also wants the Centre and the state government to assure safety and security to the non-Naga businessmen and that the district administration to be more active in dealing with law and order .
After the rally, the protesters held a meeting with the Dimapur district administration.
The superintendent of police, Dimapur, Lirmo Lotha, said Dhar was abducted at 7.30am but his family reported the matter to the police only around 8.30am. He said after receiving information, the police raided several suspected places and therefore there was no question of laxity on the part of the administration.
Lotha said the businessmen have not been co-operating with the police to check criminal activities in Dimapur. While appealing to the business community for co-operation, he assured them of all possible help.
Dimapur has considerable numbers of non-Naga businessmen from communities like Marwari, Bengali, Tibetan and Bihari.
Business community in the grip of fear morungexpress

(Left) A NAP (IR) jawan stands guard in front of closed shops in Dimapur. The business community today downed their shutters in protest against the abduction and subsequent murder of a businessman on October 19 last, on Monday. (Right) Protestors rally near the SP’s Office in Dimapur, on Monday. (Morung Photo)

Dimapur | October 20 : A special investigation team has been instated to probe into the recent abduction and subsequent murder of a businessman in Dimapur, Prasanjit Dhar. Police say leads have been uncovered, but so far the identity of the suspects has yet to be divulged by the police.
Dimapur is experiencing a very ‘abnormal’ type of situation, said Superintendent of Police of Dimapur, Liremo Lotha. He said this at a briefing of members of the interim body of Dimapur Chamber of Commerce and members of the business community over the recent abduction and subsequent murder of a businessman, Prasanjit Dhar. The briefing was held at the conference hall of the SP Office, here, on Monday.
While responding to the various queries over the steps being taken by the police, the SP informed that a special investigation team has been formed, headed by the SDPO, which is currently investigating the crime. He disclosed that the police have some leads about involvement of some persons. However, he refused to disclose the identities of the suspects. He strongly suspected the role of some ‘plains people’ in the murder.
On the security measures in Dimapur, the SP said there are 8 companies of NAP (IR) in the district, out of which 3 companies are deployed in the outskirts while 5 companies are deployed in the city. Besides these, he said 5 mobile vehicles are stationed at vital points. Lotha said sealing the inter-state boundary is not possible. However, he assured that there will be checking and frisking on a regular basis.
Special Investigation Team formed
He also said ‘throwing’ the entire ‘burden’ on the district administration and police is ‘not proper’. ‘As responsible citizens, people should come forward to register complaints’ he said and maintained that the identity of the person will be kept secret. “Cooperate with us to make Dimapur a better place to live in,” he appealed to the people.
In his condolence on the death of the businessman, the SP said timely information helps in rescuing abducted persons and advised that a concerted effort is needed to tackle crimes.
During the meeting, the interim body of Dimapur Chamber of Commerce raised four demands to the state government. The demands included deployment of additional 5 NAP (IR) companies in the city, especially in the business areas. Secondly, the body demanded to place barricades every half kilometers within Dimapur. Thirdly, the ‘district administration officials should assist the police’ from time to time. Fourthly, it stated that an indefinite strike by the business establishments would be launched if any abduction or kidnappings take place in future. The interim body wants the demands to be fulfilled within one month.
Kasheto Aye also questioned the police about the manpower, intelligence network and checking at vital points. Others who spoke during the meeting included the ADC of Dimapur, chairperson of the DMC, the general secretary of the interim body of Dimapur Chamber of Commerce, president of the Nagaland Drug Dealers’ Association, Officer In-charge of East Police Station, president of the DNSU and representatives of the business community. The other points discussed during the meeting included intensive checking at exit points, deployment of women police, cooperation of citizens, check on the growth of inter-state criminal activities and the need for additional security at Lhomithi colony.
Earlier in the day, the business community of Dimapur took out a rally. However, the rally was halted by the intervention of the members of the interim body of Dimapur Chamber of Commerce, near the office of the SP. Most of the shops remained closed on Monday. However, shops will be open from today, informed the president of the interim body.
Naga groups urged to demonstrate resolve morungexpress

In this image released to the Media, representatives of the Naga political groups (“factions”) and members of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation are seen together after another round of Naga Reconciliation meeting in Dimapur today. This is the fourth meeting in Dimapur since September 9. The representatives of the “factions” today expressed their commitment to reconciliation and conveyed resolve to overcome the ground difficulties that stand in the way of reconciliation through forgiveness and mutual acceptance.

Dimapur, October 21 (MExN): Notwithstanding the hiccups that followed the reconciliation soccer match, the Forum for Naga Reconciliation persists. The “Naga political groups” (factions) and the Forum for Naga Reconciliation met in Dimapur on October 21. This is the fourth meeting since the “A Covenant of Common Hope” was adopted by the Naga Peace Summit III at Chiang Mai, Thailand in August.
The representatives from the Naga groups expressed urgency for reconciliation, said the forum today, in a statement. They affirmed sincere commitment in contributing towards the realization of reconciliation.
“While recognizing that significant progress is being made at every level of the process, the Naga political groups acknowledged the presence of ground difficulties in realizing reconciliation. After honest deliberation, the representatives expressed optimism that the ground difficulties – how difficult they may be – can be overcome if they are addressed together in the spirit of self-examination, forgiveness and mutual acceptance” the forum said.
The forum said the groups acknowledged that there have been continuing “stray incidents of violence”, and expressed “deep anguish and pain” at the loss of human life. “They however affirmed and clarified that such incidents should not be seen as a sign that they are not for Naga reconciliation” the forum said.
The forum expressed deep concern over the continuation of violent incidents and use of provocative statements through the Media by the groups in concern. The reconciliation forum has pointed out that such actions and activities will only undermine the commitment and sincerity which was mutually expressed and agreed upon by the Naga political groups for reconciliation.
“To strengthen the Naga reconciliation process and to publicly demonstrate their sincerity and resolve to build a common understanding among Nagas, the FNR urged the Naga groups to take practical step-by-step measures in ensuring that no act of violence or provocation is committed till the next Naga Reconciliation meeting” the Forum for Naga Reconciliation said.
India wants to seal border with Myanmar Reuters
GUWAHATI, October 22 (Reuters): India needs to seal its border with Myanmar to stop separatist rebels carrying out regular attacks in the northeast, officials said on Wednesday, a day after a powerful blast killed 17 people in Manipur. Police said a bomb on a bicycle blew up in Imphal, the state capital, late on Tuesday. At least 40 people were wounded in the attack that police believe was revenge for security forces killing at least eight rebels last month.
Police suspect the separatist People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) in Manipur, a state which has suffered separatist and tribal insurgencies for the past 60 years in the troubled northeast region. The rebels escaped across a largely unguarded border to their camps in neighbouring Myanmar, police said. Manipur shares a long porous border with Myanmar of around 370 km and security officials want the entire stretch to be barbed-wired to stop smuggling of weapons and explosives.
Ringed by China, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Bhutan, India’s northeast is home to more than 200 tribes and has been racked by separatist revolts since India gained independence from Britain in 1947. “We want the centre (federal government) to fence the border, we cannot let them (PREPAK) escape after the incident,” Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh told Reuters on Wednesday. The rebel group wants to throw non-Manipuris out of the state and demands statehood, which India says is not possible.
About 700 armed PREPAK rebels have carried out regular attacks in the state, including firing a shell at the chief minister’s fortified home last month. “It definitely is a cause for concern at a time when violence in other parts of the region seems to be declining,” C. Uday Bhaskar, a strategic analyst said. In Imphal, police cordoned off the blast site, near a commando training facility and forensic experts were examining pieces of metal to find out what caused the powerful blast.
“Our plan is to fence the border and step up foot patrolling along the border, otherwise it will be difficult to control the situation,” a senior intelligence officer said from Imphal. India says around 3,000 rebels, live and train in the camps inside the jungles of Kabaw Valley of Myanmar’s Sagaing Division. “We know where militants have their camps across the border, but we can’t go inside Myanmar chasing them,” said a senior military commander who requested not to be named. India has a pact with Myanmar to share intelligence, but officials said it was not enough to stop the insurgency. Militant groups accuse New Delhi of plundering the region’s mineral and forest resources but investing little in return.

Imkong accuses State media of practicing 'yellow journalism' (Page News Service)

DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 21: Nagaland Home Minister, Imkong L Imchen on Tuesday accused the State media of practicing "yellow journalism". He literally went on record in stating that reports carried in the State media are not trustworthy.
"Media, we cannot believe in whole totality, that we all know. In presence of the media people I am speaking. Because some of the media people are rather interested in yellow journalism than bring things to the facts to the light of the public," he boldly asserted in verbatim while addressing members of the business community here in the DC's conference hall.
While it is not known what prompted the HM to denounce the credibility of the State media through his utterances today, it appears to be a case of the Minister pouring out his pent up frustration over his ministry failure to restore normalcy in the State, particularly in Dimapur town where there is an upsurge of crime, including murder, in recent times.
The media in the State, true to their universal calling as the Fourth Pillar of democracy, had always remain true in reporting the facts from ground zero, or whatever the case, and had so far never wavered from their stand on reporting the facts irrespective of threats or inducements.
And adhering to this "responsibility" placed on the Fourth Estate, the media in the State, particularly those based in Dimapur, have been reporting the law and order situation here as experienced by any ordinary citizen as well as the business community.
But much to the surprise of the media persons, the Home Minister lectured the journalists covering his programme on "their responsibilities" as a media person.
And after lashing out at the media, he attempted to win some brownie points from the media persons by comparing them to "legislators" and other leaders.
"You are also a part of the government as much as the legislators and other leaders. Let us be more responsible towards our people and not be partisan or practice yellow journalism", he told the journalists.

Tests fail to find evidence - Jawans yet to be given A clean chit on rape OUR BUREAU The Telegraph

BPPF activists stage a hunger strike in Guwahati on Tuesday. Picture by Eastern Projections
Udalguri/Kokrajhar, Oct. 21: Forensic experts found no evidence of sexual assault on the two women who were allegedly raped by CRPF personnel in Udalguri on Sunday but the accused men have not been given a clean chit.
Since the “victims” had destroyed all evidence while taking a bath, the case will now depend on circumstantial evidence to be gathered by police.
Medical and health officer I at Mangaldoi Civil Hospital, Monideep Rai Deka, who conducted the examination, said there were “no injury marks in any part of the body and tests were also negative.”
The samples of vaginal swabs, which were put through laboratory tests, did not contain any spermatozoa.
One woman had allegedly been chased by a group of seven to eight jawans of a CRPF party patrolling riot-hit Bhalukmari village in Udalguri district and then raped by one of them. Another woman accused two jawans of driving her husband out of the house at gunpoint before pouncing on her.
Sources said Deka’s report would not immediately fetch the accused a clean chit as the two women told him that after being raped they had taken a bath, destroying all evidence in the process.
The women also washed the clothes they were wearing at the time of the alleged assault.
“There was need to examine the clothes for traces of spermatazoa, if any,” Deka said, adding, “But as far as we are concerned, there is no evidence of any recent sexual act.”
He said it was now up to the police to ascertain whether the women had been raped.
Udalguri superintendent of police, A.K. Tiwari, said the police would examine circumstantial evidence to ascertain the charge.
He said the identification parade of the eight detained CRPF personnel, which was to be held today, had to be cancelled as magisterial permission for the procedure is pending.
“Whatever be the medical report, we will carry out our investigation on whether it is rape or molestation or if at all any such act had been committed. Action will be taken according to the findings of the investigation,” he added.
Rowta unit president of the All Bodo Students Union, Hithasa Boro, said irrespective of the findings of the medical report there was no doubt that the CRPF jawans had molested the two women.
“It is an attempt to rape. The guilty jawans should be punished,” he said.
A woman who was witness to the alleged sexual assault on one of the women said she had even tried to push away a CRPF jawan who was forcing himself on the “victim” inside her house.
“I dared the gun-toting CRPF personnel and rushed into the house and tried to resist the jawan,” she said.
Villagers in Bhalukmari today began fleeing at the sight of security forces, fearing more assaults.
CRPF sources, however, said the allegations have been levelled to malign the paramilitary force.
After taking stock of the law and order situation in the riot-hit areas, the Bodoland People’s Front today decided to move Dispur to raise a special police force for the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).
One of the senior legislators of the front, Karendra Basumatary, issued a two-month ultimatum to the government to restore normality in Udalguri and Darrang districts.
Basumatary, who is also the chief whip of the BPF Legislature Party, said if the government failed to bring the situation back under control, he would withdraw support from it.
He demanded 20 additional police pickets and six police outposts in the sensitive pockets of the two districts.
It was also decided that Rs 2.5 lakh would be given to those who had lost their houses in the ethnic clashes that killed over 50 and left over a lakh homeless early this month.
Clergy asks govt to act OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph
Bhubaneswar, Oct. 21: Archbishop of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar Raphael Cheenath today asked the state government to exercise its “political will” and act according to the Constitution and the law.
“Orissa’s people know who the assailants are. There is no secret. What the state needs is not an inquiry, but political will to do what is right in accordance with the Constitution and the law of the land,” said Cheenath.
The religious head also expressed lack of confidence in the judicial commissions appointed by the state government to probe into the Kandhamal violence.
“I am profoundly distressed by the fact that chief minister Naveen Patnaik did not consult the victim community before deciding on the commission heads,” said the Archbishop in a statement, circulated in the city today.
“The least that is expected from the government is that it take the victim community into confidence, so that the commissions of inquiries are headed by persons who are, in the perception of the victim community, both independent and strong-willed enough to hold the officers of the state responsible. The present appointments have been made in haste disregarding the point of view of the victim communities,” he said.
The government has appointed a commission of inquiry headed by Justice S.C. Mohapatra, a retired high court judge and former Lokpal, to probe into the violence that flared up after August 23 in the state after the murder of Laxananda Saraswati.
Earlier, Justice Basudev Panigrahi Commission of Inquiry had been appointed to probe into the violence that occurred in the same district in December 2007.
Describing the victims’ experience before Justice Basudev Panigrahi Commission as “demoralising”, the Archbishop said that the Christian community is seeking the adjournment of the hearing for two months. “Victims went without food, houses were burnt, people were killed and all these points were brought before the Panigrahi panel with a request to keep the commission in abeyance until matters settled down. The request was refused,” lamented the church head, who is away in New Delhi.
“This leads me to the conclusion that the panel is interested in covering up the misdeeds of the government and police, rather than identify organisations and individuals behind the attacks,” he said.
Referring to notice issued by Justice S.C. Mohapatra commission to file affidavits by November 15, the Archbishop observed: “Such a formal approach displays an insensitivity to the suffering of the victims.”
“There is, of late, a distressing tendency to avoid naming culprits and to waste time by appointing commissions with pliant persons heading them to get political mileage by stigmatising minorities. This strategy will not work for long,” he said.
Assam seek peace and harmony ANI
Guwahati, October 22 (ANI): The recent violence in Udalguri and Darrang districts of north Assam has left local residents of the region, devastated. The victims of the communal riot appeal all to restore peace and harmony to let the normal life resume. Lamenting the ugly turn of the event, Bodos and Muslims, among whom the riot took place, doesnt deny the hand of local militants behind the communal violence.
“We left our homes, cattle, sheep and cows. All our belongings are destroyed. We feel helpless. It’s all darkness now. What more can we say? said a riot-hit person. Analysts here believe that all communities should work together to develop the BODO area. Located in northern part of the state, Udalguri and Darrang districts of Assam havent witnessed the clash for the first time. Earlier in the year, 15 people lost their lives, when two communities got into conflict to establish their supremacy over the land.
Many people here are still clueless, how the violence broke out in the first place between the two communities, which left more than fifty dead and hundred others injured. The timely intervention by the state government prevented the violence from spreading to the neighbouring districts.
“We want peace. Let the Government bring back peace. Let us live in peace. I wish that chaos and confusion will soon end and may peace prevail in the state,” said another riot-hit man. More than 2,00,000 people become homeless in backdrop of the clash, of whom many have taken shelter in the government relief camps. To restore the feeling of security among the masses, state government has recruited nearly 8,000 police personnel in the two riot districts of the region.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gagoi recently said: “Both groups are eying to grab the land. I am not saying this group or that group, but there is a very small section of people. Vast majority (of people) have been living together, they are not fighting. Very small section is taking the advantage, they are eying on the land. Their motive is to grab the land. These are miscreant of both groups. And definitely, we will see the interest of everybody.”
However, local analysts believe that besides security there is an urgent need to restore confidence and sense of togetherness among communities to bring in lasting peace in the region. Bibhu Prasad Routray, a faculty at the Institute For Conflict Management in New Delhi, said: “Both parties should sit together and prepare a mutual agreement and check what kind of friction do they exactly have. The points of differences should be discovered. The dialogue has to be facilitated and it has to be done by the state government. There are organizations at both the front. The Bodos have their number of organizations, there are number of organizations on the Muslim side as well. So, they must sit together.
Contrary to some of the reports in the media the clashes are not between the Bodos and illegal Bangladeshis settled there. Analysts describe the conflict as a war between the Bodos and Muslims to get more territory. With the establishment of the Bodo Territorial Council, people were hoping for a phase of economic development in the resource rich region. But unfortunately as analysts say there are some miscreants, who don’t want the region to take the path of the progress.

17 killed in Imphal blast Nagarealm.com
IMPHAL, OCT21 [AGENCIES] : At least 17 people including some police commandoes in civvies were killed and more than 30 others injured in a massive bomb explosion triggered by unidentified militants in Imphal Tuesday night, two days after a blast near the chief minister’s official residence here, the police said.


The blast took place around 7.30 p.m near the main entrance gate of Ragailong village at Pandon under Imphal police station, close to a Manipur Police commando complex, which is a residential area. The bomb fitted to a Luna moped went off nearby a spot where “Diwali” game (a kind of gambling) was being played. According to the first official report, the militants raided the place where security personnel and civilians were gambling ahead of the Diwali. Police sources said thirteen people died on the spot, while the rest succumbed to injuries in hospital.

The injured were shifted to Regional Institute of Medical Science and Hospital and Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital. This is by far the biggest bomb attack in Manipur’s capital, a heavily guarded city that has seen frequent bomb or grenade attacks.
On Sunday, a bomb exploded close to Chief Minister Ibobi Singh’s heavily fortified residence but there were no casualties. A caller claiming to be a member of the People’s Revolutionary Party of Kamgleipak (PREPAK), a separatist group, said the outfit was behind Sunday’s blast. No one has claimed responsibility yet for Tuesday’s deadly attack that has set off panic in the city.

Govt plans massive rehabilitation Staff reporter Assam tribune
GUWAHATI, Oct 22 – The State Government is preparing a “massive rehabilitation programme” for the group clash-affected people in Udalguri and Darrang districts to ensure that they restart their normal lives at the earliest. The amount of compensation to be paid to the next of kin of the dead has also been increased to Rs 5 lakh, with Rs 1 lakh each coming from the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) and the Centre in addition to the Rs 3 lakh already announced by the State Government.

Announcing this at a press conference today, Government spokesperson and Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the Cabinet sub-committee constituted by the Government with Dr Bhumidhar Barman as chairman was working on the permanent rehabilitation package, and the report would be submitted to the Government within ten days.

“It would be a huge rehabilitation package, enabling the affected people to build their lost homes and begin their lives afresh,” Sarma said.

The rehabilitation package would cover some 2,000 families in Udalguri and other 760-odd families in Darrang. “These are, however, tentative and provisional figures,” Sarma said.

Sarma said that the Cabinet sub-committee, which has ministers Chandan Brahma, Rihan Daimary, Rockybul Hussain and himself as members, had a detailed discussion with BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary and other representatives on the issue of rehabilitation.

“They are for granting of Rs 2.5 lakh for the violence-hit people to rebuild their homes, and we assured them that their demand would be considered,” Sarma said.

On the alleged rape of two village women by CRPF personnel, the minister said that the Government had agreed to the demand of the BPF to have the women examined at the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), New Delhi. “Arrangements are being made to expedite their medical evaluation at the AIIMS,” he said, adding that all legal and police measures would follow once the guilt is established.

Sarma said that the State Government today sent its formal letter to the CBI, requesting the Central agency to carry out a probe into the incidents of violence in the two districts. He also appealed to all concerned, especially the organizations and parties indulging in allegations and counter-allegations over the violence, to depose before the CBI so that an impartial inquiry could be made and the guilt pinpointed to the culprits responsible for the mayhem.

“We have none to shield from the inquiry, and everyone should cooperate with the CBI, more so organizations like the AASU and ABSU,” Sarma said.

Taking exception to the AGP’s criticism of the “Congress’s 60-year-old misrule” in Assam, Sarma said that AGP president Chandra Mohan Patowary was levelling mindless allegations on stalwarts and leaders of the masses like the late Gopinath Bardoloi, Bimala Prasad Chaliha, Sarat Sinha, etc., by his reckless charges. “We are open to criticism from the AGP but it must not drag the late stalwarts into its mindless criticism, and lower its own standing before the people,” he said, adding that the AGP was too immature to realize the implications of its childish utterances.

Elders urge full security, proper rehabilitation to indigenous people Assam tribune
GUWAHATI, Oct 22 – The Guwahati Senior Citizens’ Association expressed profound shock and anguish at the colossal loss of lives and properties caused by recent ghastly incidents of violence rocking vast areas of Darrang and Udalguri districts for about two weeks.

The meeting, held on October 18 last under the presidentship of Kamaleswar Bora, former vice-chancellor of Dibrugarh University, urged upon both the Central and the State Governments to ensure full security to the indigenous people and to control with strong hands any attempt by anti-national forces to indulge in loots, violence and arson, D N Chakravartty, member in charge, administration and co-ordination of the GSCA, dwelt on the loss of lives and properties in the wake of the recent ethnic clashes in the two districts. Several members including Khanindra Chandra Das, Tabiul Hussain, Sardar Kan Singh, Dr Minoti Hazarika and Jagannath Goswami expressed sympathy to the afflicted people and opined that instead of indulging in mutual accusation the political parties should launch a concerned drive to restore peace and social amity in the disturbed areas. Dr Atul Chandra Sarma in-charge Health section narrated the steps taken by the GSCA in providing medical relief to affected people. Aboni Kumar Sarma, Prof Bazlur Rahman Barua and Eli Ahmed presented sectional reports, Bora in his presidential remarks referred to the impending dangers looming large before the Assamese people and stressed the need for unity and amity among all sections of the indigenous people.

Sikkim Court orders release of NDFB leader CORRESPONDENT Assam tribune
GANGTOK, Oct 22 – National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) vice president Dhiren Boro who had been four days ago convicted under POTA was yesterday awarded with a simple jail sentence of five years by a lower Court here on Saturday.

The Court subsequently ordered his release as Boro had already spent more than five years in the State Jail here since his capture in 2003.

District and Sessions Court judge (East & North) at Gangtok, SW Lepcha who had been designated as the Special judge to try POTA cases pronounced the quantum of punishment.

The Judge had convicted the NDFB leader on charges under POTA Act, 2002 and under section 5 of Explosive Substances Act 1908 on October 14.

Apart from the five year imprisonment punishment, Boro was also fined Rs 6,000. The Court further ordered that in default of payment of fine he shall go for another one month of imprisonment.

Boro had become the first person in Sikkim to be convicted under POTA.

Sikkim police had arrested the NDFB leader and three others including his wife from a hideout here in the capital on New Year’s Day in 2003. He was wanted in several cases in Assam and other Northeastern States and Bhutan.

The arrests were made after a raid on a flat rented by Boro at Samdur near 5th Mile in Gangtok. He had been hiding for almost a year posing as a businessman before he was caught.Plastic explosives, two hand grenades, a mobile phone, a computer and Indian and Nepalese currency were seized in the raid.

Governor condemns blast, soothes victims at hospitals By Our Staff Reporter Sangai Express

Governor Gurbachan visiting hospitals to meet the injured, women cry out their hearts over the loss of their beloved, road blockade enforced, dharna, combing ops, vehicles being stowed away as part of the security measures after the terror strike of Tuesday
IMPHAL, Oct 22: Visiting the injured persons who are being treated at various hospitals today, Governor Gurbachand Jagat has condemned last night’s bomb blast near the gate of Ragailong in Imphal West District which left 16 persons killed and several others injured as an act of terrorism and mindless violence.
Stating that this act was against the people of Manipur as a whole, the Governor also called upon all the peace loving citizens to condemn such violence as an act against the people and culture of Manipur.
In the forenoon today, the Governor visited various wards of JN Hospital at Porompat, RIMS Hospital at Lamphelpat and Shija Hospitals and Research Institute at Langol where 21 injured persons are under treatment. He had close interaction with each of the injured victims and wished them speedy recovery.
During the visit of the Governor at RIMS Hospital, Medical Superintendent of the Hospital Dr Y Mohen Singh assured that all the required blood would be provided for transfusion to the injured persons.
The Governor also extended a financial assistance of Rs 50,000 towards purchase of the required medicines for the injured victims. Out of the total assured amount, a sum of Rs 20,000 was handed over to the authorities of RIMS by the Governor during his visit today.
Condemning the blast as an act of terrorism and mindless violence, the Governor also expressed deep sorrow and sympathy towards the victims of the bomb blast.
Talking to mediapersons after the inspection, the Governor observed that most of the victims are daily wage earner. Condemning the perpetrators of the bomb blast which caused death, injury and distress to many innocent people, the Governor also conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families who lost their near and dear ones in this barbaric act. DGP Joykumar and other top ranking officials of both the Civil and Police Department, accompanied the Governor during the inspection. Health Minister Ph Parijat has also inspected the injured being treated at the hospitals today.