The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) honoured three railway employees with cash rewards and certificates for their alertness while on duty that helped avert a potential disaster. The employees are loco pilot Jitendra Kumar, senior assistant loco pilot Sailendra Kumar Keshari and train manager Bholaram Das. On October 23 night, their goods train was passing between Kokrajhar and Salakati stations in the Bodoland Territorial Region when the crew sensed a sudden heavy jerk. Demonstrating presence of mind, they stopped the train, alerted control authorities, and discovered damage to the tracks in a suspected blast.
K9 sniffer dog Jubi dies after 8 years of service
Jubi (8), a brave member of the K9 sniffer dog squad of biodiversity and wildlife conservation NGO Aaranyak, died after aiding the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve authority in fighting wildlife crime for eight years. A Belgian Malinois dog, Jubi remained deployed at the park’s Bagori range with her handler Sanatan Mali. “Salute to our braveheart for tireless service in protecting the park. Your keen nose and loyal heart kept wildlife safe. May you find peace and joy in your happy hunting grounds,” said park director Sonali Ghosh. DrBibhab Kumar Talukdar, Aaranyak executive director, said, “Jubi was one of our most skilled K9 members.”
Row after neglect to Cup-winning player
India’s World Cup-winning women cricketers were accorded a grand welcome by their respective state governments when they returned home. But in Assam, no govt official was present at Guwahati airport to welcome Uma Chetry, the lone member of the team from Assam and the Northeast. This alleged oversight ruffled a few feathers. Minister Pijush Hazarika admitted, “It was our mistake not to welcome and felicitate Assam’s pride Uma Chetri at airport, for which I apologise to the player as an Assamese.” He said the same mistake was made by other parties. After the controversy, some ministers visited her at her Bokakhat residence.
Prasanta Mazumdar
Our correspondent in Guwahati
prasantamazumdar@newindianexpress.com