City basks in swimmer’s glory
Guwahati residents are basking in the glory of local girl Shivangi Sarma, who won five gold medals in individual events and two silver medals in team events at the recently-concluded Khelo India Youth Games. Assam overall had excellent outings winning 76 medals, 20 of them gold. The state came in the seventh place on the medals’ tally. The 17-year-old trains in Delhi, where she is also pursuing her studies. Shivangi said she will work hard to realise her dream which is to win an Olympic medal. The girl, who is inspired by swimmer Michael Phelps, is also a Sattriya dancer.
Public inquiry sought into teen’s killing
A “public inquiry” has been sought by the Assam Christian Forum into the death of Sam Stafford (17). Stafford lost his life when security personnel fired during a protest against Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in the city on December 12. According to the post-mortem report, the bullet that hit him in the right lower back had exited through the neck region. The family members of the slain Class IX student alleged he was tortured before being killed from a close range. That day, Sam was returning home after taking part in an anti-CAA protest. Altogether five people were killed and several others injured in the state capital during the protests. A teenager sustaining bullet injuries was shifted to Kolkata by his family last week.
Govt officers under CID scanner
RTI activist Dulal Bora continues to remain behind bars even as the Criminal Investigation Department of the Assam Police, probing an alleged blackmailing case involving him, suspects that he owns assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. Bora allegedly was in the habit of blackmailing government officers by filing RTI applications. He was arrested by the police in December based on an FIR lodged by a motor vehicle inspector who alleged he was “blackmailed and extorted” by Bora. CID sleuths said they were looking government officers who allegedly helped Bora.
Court relief for former CM Tarun Gogoi
The Gauhati High court has directed the government to maintain the status quo as regards three-time former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi’s security and submit a report by February 12. The Congress veteran had moved the court recently as his security cover was downgraded from Z plus to Z category with CRPF. Earlier, Gogoi alleged that his security cover had been brought down for his criticism of the state’s BJP-led coalition government on various issues. Last month, two-time former CM Prafulla Kumar Mahanta’s NSG security cover was replaced with the CRPF. He had then said the people of Assam would protect his life.
Prasanta Mazumdar
Our correspondent in Guwahati
prasantamazumdar@newindianexpress.com