Bongaigaon Now (2025)

18/07/2025

It is a medium-range surface-to-air missile system capable of eliminating ballistic, cruise, and fighter missiles.

The indigenously built and developed Akash surface-to-air missile system has a high-altitude variant called Akash Prime.
The missile is built to function at great altitudes—above 14,000 feet—and in extremely low temperatures.

It has many improvements, such as a radio frequency seeker that was created domestically.

This gives the Akash Prime a 360-degree capacity to engage hostile missiles in addition to improving its accuracy.

Additionally, it features radars and improved ground systems that allow it to operate within a 30-kilometer radius.
Officials from the Indian Army and business attended the test.

Two fast-moving aerial targets were successfully destroyed by the missiles.
"Various upgrades are made to improve the operational effectiveness, demonstrating the advantage of the ecosystem created for the indigenous weapon system," stated the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in response to operational feedback from users.

Two regiments of the Akash Prime system are now being raised by Army Air Defence; these will probably be the third and fourth regiments of India's Akash defence system.
It may serve as a successful deterrent for both China and Pakistan and will be placed along the border and in hilly regions.

18/07/2025

A person was killed and several others, including police personnel, were injured when a mob attacked a joint patrolling team of police and forest officials at Ashudubi under the Paikan Reserve Forest in Goalpara district. The clash erupted during an eviction drive, where the mob set a nearby ME school on fire, causing major damage.

The Forest Department, assisted by security forces, was dismantling illegal roads and structures when a section of evicted people obstructed them. Armed with bamboo sticks, they pelted stones at the patrolling team, forcing police to fire in the air to control the situation.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma condemned the attack, saying action would be taken against those who assaulted security personnel. He reiterated the government’s commitment to freeing 1,080 bighas of encroached land in the Paikan Reserve Forest and announced the deployment of Rapid Action Force (RAF) in the area till July 31, 2025.

The firing has sparked political outrage. Congress criticized the government, while AAMSU alleged that police resorted to indiscriminate firing without using non-lethal measures like teargas or rubber bullets. The incident has intensified the political debate over eviction drives in Assam.

Sarma further blamed Rahul Gandhi for emboldening encroachers during his recent visit to Assam, claiming his “reckless” statements led to the violent mob attack that injured 21 security personnel. He confirmed that Sakoat Ali died in the clash, while Kutubuddin Sheikh was seriously injured. Despite the violence, the Chief Minister vowed that eviction would continue until all encroached lands are cleared.

18/07/2025

The All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) on Thursday burnt advertisement copies of Gauhati High Court for Junior Administrative Assistant (JAA) posts in various districts of BTC and BKWAC, protesting the exclusion of the Bodo language. Similar protests were held in Kokrajhar, where activists alleged discrimination against the Bodo language despite its constitutional recognition.

ABSU President Dipen Boro said protests were being held across districts in BTR and BKWAC demanding the inclusion of Bodo language in Gauhati High Court advertisements. He highlighted that Assamese is given compulsory weightage—20 marks in the JAA recruitment and 50 marks in the Assam Judicial Service Grade-III exam—while Bodo is ignored. He called this a discriminatory attitude despite Bodo’s recognition in the 8th Schedule and as an Associate Official Language under the Assam Official Language (Amendment) Act, 2020.

Boro expressed confidence that the Gauhati High Court and Assam Government would address the matter soon but warned that the movement would continue until justice is ensured.

Recently, ABSU also submitted a memorandum to the State Election Commission via the DC, Kokrajhar, demanding the publication of the BTC Electoral Roll 2025 in Bodo language along with Assamese. The memorandum cited Section 5A of the Assam Official Language (Amendment) Act, 2020, which allows the use of Bodo for official purposes in districts with a substantial Bodo population.

ABSU has further petitioned the Registrar of Gauhati High Court to include Bodo in all recruitment exams conducted by the court, including the Assam Judicial Service Grade-III and JAA posts. They argued that excluding Bodo unfairly disadvantages candidates from Bodo-medium backgrounds, denying them equal employment opportunities.

18/07/2025

The body of CRPF’S COBRA jawan of Kokrajhar, Praneswar Rabha, who died in an encounter with Maoists in Jharkhand on Wednesday morning, was cremated at his native village, Rabhapara, Magurmari near Kokrajhar town with state honours. His body was brought to Guwahati by flight at 7 AM on Thursday and taken to his home in Kokrajhar.

Inspector General of CRPF Anshuman Yadav, BTC EM Ranjit Basumatary, MLA Lawrence Islary, BTC Principal Secretary, former Minister Pramila Rani Brahma, Kokrajhar DC Masanda Magdalin Pertin, SP Puspraj Singh, and other prominent personalities and well-wishers attended his funeral and bid adieu with floral tributes.

Many local leaders of different organizations expressed shock and mourned the death of Praneswar who died in an attack by Naxals in Jharkhand on Wednesday morning.

Talking to mediapersons, Minister UG Brahma said that Kokrajhar had lost a brave CRPF jawan. He said that CRPF jawan Praneswar Rabha hailed from a very poor family and had joined the CRPF way back in 2018. He said that Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma communicated with the parents of the deceased CRPF jawan and assured to look after his family, comprising of his parents, two brothers, wife, and a little son of 5 years old, as Praneswar attained martyrdom on duty.

Brahma also said that the Government of Assam will provide Rs 50 lakhs in compensation, and a government job to a family member. Meanwhile, former Chief of BTC Hagrama Mohilary said that he was shocked to hear about the martyrdom of CRPF jawab Praneswar Koch, who died while performing his duties during an anti-Naxal operation. He said that Praneswar was a true son of the soil who showed unequalled bravery and commitment in the face of risk. He also said that his ultimate sacrifice would live on in the hearts of the people forever.

Other leaders from UPPL, BPF, and student bodies also mourned his death.

18/07/2025

Following information, Chirang district police arrested a person with a handmade gun. The person, identified as Sujit Das, is a grocery shop owner by profession, and a resident of Anand bazar area under Bijni PS of Chirang district. The operation was conducted jointly by police and 15B No. battalion of SSB. One handmade gun, 16 beer bottles, and 25 wine bottles were recovered from his possession. Police have started an investigation into the matter.

16/07/2025

A pair of newborn twins was allegedly sold off by their parents shortly after birth in Bongaigaon district on June 26.

One of the infants was recovered on Wednesday, while authorities are continuing efforts to trace the second child, believed to be in Dhubri district.

District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) Dulumoni Sutradhar said the case is currently under police investigation and it is too early to confirm whether this is a case of illegal adoption or child trafficking.

“The police are investigating the matter, and we cannot comment yet on whether it is a case of illegal adoption,” she told the press.

Sutradhar further added that if illegal adoption is confirmed, First Information Reports (FIRs) will be filed against all involved parties.

A letter has already been sent to the Superintendent of Police, urging strict action in the event of legal violations, she said.

According to reports, the twins were reportedly born at Chilarai Hospital in Bongaigaon to a couple identified as Pranab Das and Budobala Das, residents of Ghilaguri.

16/07/2025

Another Boeing 737 Max 8 (VT-BXZ) aircraft operated by Air India Express was grounded minutes before takeoff after pilots declared a ‘technical issue’ while following the procedure to engine start sequence.

There were 166 passengers and crew onboard. The aircraft designated as IX 193 was scheduled to take off at 8.45 am from Chaudhary Charan Singh to head back to Dubai on Wednesday morning. Earlier, the aircraft designated as IX 194 had come from Dubai at Lucknow airport at 8.15 am.

“Passengers were informed of the cancellation shortly after boarding. Therefore, the airline gave the opportunity for passengers to either seek refund or reschedule their journey and stay in the hotel at the airline's expense,” said an official source of the airport.

As per data available in open source, the 168 seater aircraft is more than six-years old and took first flight in May 2019.

Three days back on Sunday, another Boeing 737 Max 8 (VT-BWP) heading to Hyderabad, operated by Air India Express was also grounded minutes before boarding the passengers at Lucknow airport due to technical fault.

15/07/2025

The Japanese government has agreed to introduce E10 Shinkansen trains in India, with its introduction in the 508-km-long Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project.

“In the spirit of strategic partnership between Japan and India, the Japanese government has agreed to introduce E10 Shinkansen trains in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet train project,” the Indian Railways said in a statement.

A key piece of information is that the E10 will be introduced simultaneously in India and Japan. The Japanese Shinkansen is currently running with E5 trains, with E10 trains slated to be the next generation. According to the officials, the entire 508-km-long corridor is being developed with the Japanese Shinkansen technology. As per the ministry, work on 15 river bridges is finished and work on four bridges is in the advanced stages of construction.

Meanwhile, on Monday, tunnelling work of the first section of 21-km-long undersea tunnel between BKC and Thane got completed. The Railway Ministry said that the tunnelling work between Ghansoli and Shilphata in Maharashtra is marking a major milestone in the project. “The bullet train project recently achieved a major milestone by completing 310 km of viaduct construction," a press note from the ministry said.

It added that the track laying and construction of station, bridges and overhead electrical wires is going at a rapid pace. Along with the the procurement of systems for operation and control is also going well.

Talking about the undersea tunnel part of the bullet train project, the Railway Ministry said that the station at BKC will be an engineering marvel. Located at 32.5m below the ground the foundation of the construction will support the 95m high building about the ground, Ministry said.

"The success of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project is laying the foundation for future bullet train corridors in India,” it added, stating that future corridors like this is also under consideration by the ministry.

15/07/2025

A 22-year-old B.Ed student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore, Odisha, died after setting herself on fire to protest inaction on her sexual harassment complaint. She had accused her head of department, Professor Samir Kumar Sahu, of months of abuse and threats, filing a detailed complaint with the college’s Internal Complaints Committee. Despite promises of action within seven days, no steps were taken, leaving her feeling helpless and unheard.

On July 12, the student joined a protest outside the college demanding justice. In a shocking turn, she suddenly ran towards the area near the principal’s office and set herself ablaze. Fellow students rushed to save her, and she was taken to AIIMS Bhubaneswar with over 90% burn injuries. Despite intensive treatment, including renal replacement therapy, she succumbed to her injuries on July 14.

Her family revealed that members of the Internal Complaints Committee and the college principal allegedly pressured them to withdraw the complaint, even threatening legal action if they refused. Her father, devastated by her condition, said he could barely recognize her in the hospital, while her brother vowed to fight for justice. The family accused the college authorities of shielding the accused.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed deep sorrow over her death, offering condolences to the family and promising strict punishment for all guilty parties. He stated that he had personally instructed authorities to ensure justice. Following the outrage, the police arrested both Professor Samir Kumar Sahu and the principal, Dilip Ghosh, for their alleged involvement and negligence.

The incident has sparked massive protests, political debates, and renewed calls for stronger mechanisms to address sexual harassment in educational institutions. Students, activists, and opposition leaders are demanding institutional reforms, better protection for complainants, and strict accountability for authorities who fail to act on such complaints.

15/07/2025

A 38-year old women was arrested by Assam police for allegedly murdering her husband and burying his body inside their house in Guwahati’s Pandu area. The shocking incident took place at Joymoti Nagar area of Pandu where the husband and wife lived together, officials told.

According to the police, the victim - Saibal Rahman - was a scrap dealer and was murdered by his wife, Rahima Khatun, on June 26.

On June 26, the accused told her acquaintance that her husband has gone to Kerala for work. However, on July 12, the victim’s brother reached out to the police and registered a complaint about Saibal being missing.

Talking about the murder, DCP of West Guwahati city police said that on July 13, the accused Rahima Khatun came to the Jalukbari police station and told the police that her missing husband has already died and confessed to killing him.

According to her confession, on the night on June 26, a fight took place between the couple inside their house. During this fight, the police stated that Saibal was in an intoxicated state and died after he sustained an injury in the state.

Khatun then buried her husband’s body inside the compound of the house, said the police official.

Despite the wife's confession, the police is working to track more suspects in the case.

“We suspect that 2-3 more people are also involved because it is not possible for a lady to dig a pit and to bury the body,” officials told.

14/07/2025

A shocking case of child trafficking has emerged from Joysagar in Sivasagar district, where a newborn baby was allegedly sold for ₹75,000. The incident took place shortly after a 22-year-old single mother gave birth at the Sibsagar Civil Hospital. Authorities believe the incident occurred just outside the hospital premises after the mother was discharged.

The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and the Sishu Kalyan Samiti had received prior information and warned the family not to sell the child. Despite this, the baby was allegedly sold in a secret deal, and the money was taken in instalments.

When the CWC later asked the family to present the child, they failed to do so. A probe confirmed that the baby had indeed been sold. Police have detained three women in connection with the case: the baby’s mother, her aunt, and an ASHA worker. They are currently being questioned about the identity of the buyer and the location of the infant.

The mother, reportedly mentally unstable, is unable to identify the child’s father. The case has raised serious concerns over illegal adoptions and child trafficking networks in the region.

In another similar incident, the body of a newborn baby was found under the Dhansiri River Bridge in Golaghat district earlier this March. The local people suspect that some miscreants committed the act. Later, the Golaghat Police reached the spot and investigated the issue.

14/07/2025

An eviction drive to clear encroachment of around 135 hectares of land in the Paikan Reserve Forest in Assam’s Goalpara district was conducted smoothly on Saturday, an official said.

Goalpara District Commissioner (DC) Khanindra Choudhury told PTI that the operation concluded peacefully.

“The structures were dismantled. It went off peacefully,” he said.

As many as 40 excavators were pressed into action, along with heavy security deployment to ensure peaceful eviction operation.

A forest department officer said, “Our target was to recover the forest area under encroachment and we have done it.”

“Our first step was to clear the encroachment. Now, we will go to the plantation to recover the land,” he said.

Police officers said “preventive measures” were taken for peaceful conduct of the eviction operation and it went off smoothly.

Local reports claimed that an affected person allegedly tried to commit su***de but was saved with swift medical assistance.

The Goalpara DC had said on Friday that about 95 per cent of alleged illegal settlers have already moved out from the area, dismantling their establishments.

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