Life in Assam back on track as state remains peaceful
Guwahati: Normal life is back on track in Assam with the state remaining peaceful after several days of violent protests against the new citizenship law.
The curfew imposed in Dibrugarh has been relaxed for 14 hours since 6 am on Thursday but mobile internet services remained suspended, officials said. The curfew imposed in Guwahati on December 11 was lifted on Tuesday following improvement in law and order, they said.
Businesses and banks in Guwahati were open and vehicles plied the roads but schools and colleges were closed.
Flight operations and railway services have resumed in Guwahati while flights to and from Dibrugarh airport were also operating as per schedule, the officials said.
The All Assam Students' Union (AASU), which is spearheading the agitation against the amended Citizenship Act, has planned sit-ins on December 21 and 23 and rallies on December 24, 26 and 28.
Islamic outfit Popular Front of India's Assam unit chief Aminul Haque and another office bearer were arrested on Wednesday for their alleged role in the violence during protests over the citizenship law, police said.
Also, the Assam Human Rights Commission has directed the chief secretary to constitute a high-level panel for probing deaths of five protesters in police action during protests over the amended Citizenship Act here last week.
Meanwhile, the 12-day Guwahati Book Fair, organised by the state government's Assam Publication Board, has been postponed indefinitely due to "unforeseen circumstances", Board Secretary Pramod Kalita said.
Assam witnessed violent protests against the Act with three rail stations, a post office, a bank, a bus terminus, shops, dozens of vehicles and many other public properties being set ablaze or damaged by the protesters.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Cross-border narcotics network busted in Jammu; most-wanted drug lord arrested
Jammu, Apr 15 (PTI): The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday said a major narcotics network with interstate and cross-border links was busted with the arrest of most-wanted drug kingpin Gulzar Ahmad alias Lau Gujjar along with several of his associates.
Senior Superintendent of Police (Jammu) Joginder Singh said Gujjar had been supplying narcotics in bulk quantities across the region, and evading capture for more than two decades, terming his arrest a major breakthrough.
"He was a hardcore criminal and a key figure in the drug supply chain. His network has now been fully identified and dismantled," the SSP told reporters here.
He said Gujjar entered the criminal world as a bovine smuggler in 2006 before launching himself into drug trade around 2016, and scaling up operations by 2019.
ALSO READ: Stand-up comedian Anudeep Katikala held in Prayagraj for joke on AP DCM Pawan Kalyan
A Pakistan-made pistol was recovered from his possession at the time of his arrest on April 4, the SSP said, adding that three of his associated were also arrested and more than 700 grams of heroin was seized.
Interrogation of around 10 more suspects linked to the network is underway, while around two dozen other suspects have been identified and are under surveillance, he said.
SSP Singh said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by a superintendent of police rank officer has been constituted to probe the case, who would examine forward and backward linkages of the network including financial trails and assets created through illicit trade.
The police are trying to ascertain the source and the routes through which these illicit supplies entered India -- whether through Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir or through other border areas, he said.
Singh said the weapon recovered from the accused drug lord indicates a Pakistan link. "We are investigating that aspect as well, pointing towards broader narco-terror angle."
ALSO READ: Police inspector suspended in UP's Ballia for making 'obscene' remarks against rape survivor
The SSP said Gujjar was wanted in at least 28 cases in Jammu district alone and dozens of FIRs are registered against him in other states under different identities.
Highlighting the crackdown against drug syndicates, he said police have so far registered 103 cases related to drug peddling in Jammu district this year.
Out of these, nine cases involve commercial quantities of contraband.
Nearly 11 kg of heroin has been seized, along with poppy husk, ganja, controlled medication capsules, and other such contraband, he said, adding around 20 driving licences have been cancelled, and nearly 200 vehicles linked to drug activities have been blacklisted.
