From Manipur landslide to defamation case against Sisodia, the week that was
Guwahati, July 3: This week a massive landslide struck Manipur which claimed more than 30 lives, including 8 people from Assam even as several others are still missing. In yet another news a cadre of the banned outfit- United Liberation Front of Asom - Independent (ULFA-I) was killed by security forces. Among others CM Himanta Biswa Sarma lodged a criminal defamation case against Delhi's deputy CM Manish Sisodia for levelling "baseless" corruption charges against him in connection with the supply of PPE kits at "higher than market rates" during the pandemic.
8 people from Assam killed in Manipur landslide
At least eight people from Assam, including one army jawan, have been killed in the landslide at a railway construction site in Manipur's Noney district.
State Cabinet Minister Pijush Hazarika while taking stock of the situation said that twelve others from the state, including a railway engineer, are still missing.
The overall death toll in the landslide at Tupul yard railway construction camp in the neighbouring state on Wednesday night has increased to 34.
The search operations have been intensified by several agencies, including the Indian Army, the Assam Rifles, the Territorial Army, SDRF and NDRF.
One ULFA (I) cadre killed in gun fight with security forces
In a fierce gun battle between the ULFA-I and security forces, one ULFA-I cadre was killed in Upper Assam's Tinsukia district on July 1.
The deceased has been identified as Gyan Asom.
Acting on a tip off, security forces launched an operation at Dapather Majgaon village under Kakopathar police station in the district.
However, the security team came under heavy gunfire as soon as they approached the house where the cadres were taking shelter. In a retaliatory fire two cadres sustained bullet injuries as they tried to flee. While the body of the deceased has been recovered five others managed to escape and a manhunt has been launched to nab them.
Assam CM files defamation case against Sisodia
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has filed a criminal defamation case against Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia over his allegations accusing the former of corruption charges relating to the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) kits to the National Health Mission (NHM) authorities at price "higher than market rates," during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic.
The case has been registered in the court of chief judicial magistrate, Kamrup Rural on Thursday and listed on July 22 for initial deposition by the complainant.
The AAP leader alleged that the Assam government had given contracts to JCB Industries, which is co-owned by Sarma's wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma.
Countering Sisodia's allegations, Assam's CM said that the PPE kits were donated by JCB Industries.
