Assam: Eminent singer, director Ramen Barua remains untraced
Guwahati, Jul 23: Assam Police have launched a massive search for eminent singer, music composer and director Ramen Barua, who has been missing since Monday, a police officer said.
Eighty-four-year-old Barua had left his home in Latasil area of Guwahati on Monday morning for a nearby temple but did not return home till late in the evening, when his family members lodged a missing complaint with the police.
According to available CCTV footage, he was last spotted near the new Gauhati High Court building adjacent to the temple around 10.15 am on Monday, the police officer said.
His mobile phone has been switched off since Monday and its last location was traced to an area behind the high court.
Popular singer Zubeen Garg joined the police in the search and till late on Monday, visited various parts of the city, including Lachit Ghat, Kamakhya Temple, Sukreswar Temple, Bhootnath Temple and Uzan Bazar Ghat.
An eyewitness informed the police that Barua was seen near Kachari Ghat on the banks of Brahmaputra on Monday, following which the NDRF and SDRF conducted a search along the river from Kachari Ghat to Pandu Ghat on Tuesday morning.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said that he was deeply concerned by the sudden disappearance of Barua.
"His absence worries his family, friends, and countless admirers. I have asked Commissioner of @GuwahatiPol Sri Diganta Bora to mobilise all resources and take swift action to locate him," Sarma said in a late night post on X.
A radio artiste of fame, Barua has composed music for several Assamese films including 'Dr Bezbarua', 'Baruar Songsar', 'Mukuta', 'Lalita', 'Kokadeuta', 'Nati Aru Hati' among others.
Barua comes from a family of filmmakers, singers, music composers, artists, sportspersons and entrepreneurs and their over 100-year-old house in Latasil area is a prominent landmark of the city.
I am deeply concerned about the sudden disappearance of Sri Ramen Baruah, missing since this morning. His absence worries his family, friends, and countless admirers. I have asked Commissioner of @GuwahatiPol Sri Diganta Bora to mobilize all resources and take swift action to…
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) July 22, 2024
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234 held in anti-drug operation in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 15 (PTI): The Kerala police on Saturday said as part of its special drive to crack down on individuals suspected of drug trafficking, 234 people were arrested, and varying quantities of several deadly narcotics, including MDMA, were seized.
The State Police Media Centre (SPMC) stated that on March 14, as part of the drive, D-Hunt, authorities inspected 2,362 individuals suspected of drug trafficking and arrested 234 of them.
The operation was carried out across the state to identify and take strict legal action against those involved in the storage and distribution of banned drugs.
Police registered 222 cases related to the possession of various prohibited substances, according to a statement issued by the SPMC.
Additionally, authorities seized 0.0119 kg of MDMA, 6.171 kg of cannabis, and 167 cannabis 'beedis' from those arrested.
Operation D-Hunt is being jointly implemented by the Range-based NDPS Coordination Cell and District Police Chiefs under the leadership of State Anti-Narcotics Task Force Head and ADGP (Law and Order) Manoj Abraham, following the instructions of State Police Chief Dr Sheikh Darvesh Sahib, the statement said.
The SPMC also announced that a 24-hour Anti-Narcotics Control Room (9497927797) has been set up to receive information from the public regarding drug-related activities.
The details of individuals who contact this number will be kept confidential, it added.
Furthermore, the operation will continue in the coming days through sustained surveillance and the creation of a database of individuals regularly involved in drug-related activities and transactions.
