False Allegations Against Ashish Raha During PMAY Geo-Tagging Spark Strong Public Backlash.

During ongoing geo-tagging work under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) in Borjalenga, Ashish Raha became the target of politically motivated false allegations reportedly initiated by Jitendra Shuklabaidya, husband of the elected Ward No. 7 member of the 45 No. Borjalenga Gaon Panchayat. The accusations, circulated through certain media channels, sparked strong community backlash. Residents of Ward No. 7 issued a public statement condemning the claims as baseless and reaffirming their support for Raha’s integrity.

A solidarity meeting held on October 18 at Yogirbond village brought together key local figures including Dharmendra Tiwari (District Council Member), Ajay Dev (President, BJP Borjalenga Mandal), Partha Sen (Vice President), Bunty Raha (Gaon Panchayat President), and Binandan Rabidas. Speakers warned that such falsehoods damage the image of honest workers and disrupt rural development efforts. The gathering reflected a collective defense of transparency and truth in the implementation of government welfare schemes.

Assam will declare a 3% job reserve and provide workers access to tea garden land.

“Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced a landmark bill to be introduced in the Legislative Assembly on November 25, which will transfer land ownership from tea garden owners to workers who have lived on these estates for generations. Speaking at the Assam Tea Tribes Students Association conference, Sarma declared the government’s commitment to securing land rights for tea garden communities, many of whom are descendants of labourers brought to Assam over two centuries ago. In addition to land redistribution, the government will implement a 3% reservation quota for tea garden youth in Assam Civil Service and Assam Police Service, along with the creation of magistrate and Deputy Superintendent of Police posts specifically in tea garden areas.

Sarma reaffirmed that securing land rights is essential for the socio-economic security of tea garden workers and is a priority in his tenure. The tea tribes community, integral to Assam’s cultural and economic fabric for two centuries, stands to gain enhanced opportunities for advancement through these measures, moving closer to inclusion in the mainstream economy.”

Unauthorised stores close to Sonapur’s Zubeen Garg Crematorium are targeted by the NHAI.

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has initiated an eviction drive against unauthorised shops operating near the cremation site of noted singer Zubeen Garg at Sonapur, along NH-27. On October 17, several local establishments, including Lakhi Hotel, received six-day eviction notices for allegedly encroaching on government highway land.

The notices, supervised by Biswa Jyoti Lahkar, Highway Administrator and Project Director of NHAI PIU-Guwahati, cited safety risks due to shops being too close to the busy road. Shop owners have been asked to submit representations to the NHAI Guwahati office before enforcement begins.

Officials clarified that the action is in line with the National Highway (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002, aimed at maintaining road safety and orderly use of highway land. The operation comes amid increased public movement around the site, now regarded as a cultural and emotional landmark. Authorities assured that clearance will be done systematically, balancing safety measures and local sentiments.

In the upcoming Assembly session, the Assam government will present a bill that will grant tea garden workers land rights.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma flagged off 80 ‘Sanjeevani’ mobile medical units to enhance healthcare in remote tea garden areas. He announced plans for a week-long cultural festival in New Delhi in 2026 to promote Assam’s traditional dances like Bihu, Jhumoir, and Bagurumba. Sarma said the initiative aims to take Assam’s culture to a global audience and uplift tea garden communities. He also outlined education measures, including setting up 100 new high schools by January 2026 and reserving 30 medical seats along with 3% of Grade III and IV government jobs for tea garden and Adivasi students.

Himanta Biswa Sharma says that Singapore Police would meet with the Assam SIT team on October 21.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma announced that the Singapore Police will meet with the Assam Police team investigating singer Zubeen Garg’s death on October 21. The Chief Minister stated that this marks another step toward justice for the late artist. The team, led by ADGP (CID) and SIT head Munna Gupta, will coordinate with Singapore authorities to ensure a transparent investigation. The meeting aims to facilitate the exchange of crucial evidence and information between both agencies in pursuit of justice for Zubeen Garg.Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma announced that the Singapore Police will meet with the Assam Police team investigating singer Zubeen Garg’s death on October 21. The Chief Minister stated that this marks another step toward justice for the late artist. The team, led by ADGP (CID) and SIT head Munna Gupta, will coordinate with Singapore authorities to ensure a transparent investigation. The meeting aims to facilitate the exchange of crucial evidence and information between both agencies in pursuit of justice for Zubeen Garg.

When the river sang twice: Assam’s never-ending lament for two voices that never die.

When Assam wept for Zubeen Garg in 2025, its grief felt both new and eternal—a digital echo of the sorrow that once swept through the land for Bhupen Hazarika. Hazarika had given Assam its voice; Zubeen had made that voice a conversation. One belonged to an age of reverence, the other to an age of intimacy. His death unfolded not in silence but through millions of glowing screens, turning mourning into a shared act of love. To compare them is to miss the truth: Assam grieved differently not because it loved one more than the other, but because time itself had changed how love could be expressed.

Prohibition measures are enforced in the Cachar area of Assam near the India-Bangladesh border.

The Cachar district administration in Assam has enforced prohibitory orders along the India-Bangladesh border to curb extremist movements and smuggling. Invoking Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), the order restricts movement within one kilometre of the border and bans boating, fishing, and nighttime transportation of essential goods near the frontier. Issued by District Magistrate Mridul Yadav, the directive aims to strengthen security and maintain public order, remaining effective for two months unless withdrawn earlier.

Three pangolin scales weighing more than 220 kg were detained at the Barpeta train station in Assam.

“Authorities seized over 220 kilograms of pangolin scales in a major operation at Barpeta Road Railway Station, Assam, on October 13, 2025. The consignment, one of the largest in recent years, was found on the Bengaluru–Guwahati Express traveling from Chennai to Guwahati.

The operation was carried out jointly by Manas National Park staff, the Narcotics Control Bureau (Guwahati Zonal Unit), the 64th Battalion of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and the Railway Protection Force (RPF).

Three individuals, including a woman, were arrested and are being held under Section 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Four mobile phones recovered from the suspects are under examination to track the larger trafficking network.

Officials said the seizure underlines the growing efforts of enforcement agencies to combat wildlife trafficking and protect endangered species such as the pangolin, which is among the world’s most trafficked mammals.”

In Assam, more than 220 kg of pangolin scales were found on a train; three were detained.

“In one of the biggest wildlife trafficking crackdowns in recent times, authorities in Assam on Tuesday seized over 220 kilograms of pangolin scales from a passenger train at Barpeta Road railway station and arrested three persons, including a woman, officials said.

The contraband, believed to have been transported from Chennai to Guwahati, was intercepted during a joint operation by teams from Manas National Park and Tiger Reserve, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Shastra Seema Bal (SSB) and the Railway Protection Force (RPF).

Confirming the seizure, Manas National Park Field Director C. Ramesh said the haul marks ‘a significant breakthrough’ in the fight against illegal wildlife trafficking in the region.

‘This operation highlights the robust coordination among enforcement agencies and reflects India’s growing resolve to protect endangered species like the pangolin — one of the most trafficked mammals in the world,’ Ramesh said.

Officials said investigations are underway to trace the broader network involved in smuggling the wildlife material.”​

In Jharkhand, a CRPF jawan was slain. IED bomb buried in Nagaon, Assam

“The mortal remains of CRPF head constable Mahendra Laskar, who was killed in an IED explosion in Jharkhand’s Saranda forest, were laid to rest with full honours at his native Kuwariati village in Assam’s Nagaon district. His tricolour-draped coffin was received by grief-stricken villagers and attended by local dignitaries, including Nagaon MLAs, the District Commissioner, and senior CRPF officials. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed his condolences, stating the nation will remember Laskar’s supreme sacrifice with gratitude. Laskar had suffered critical injuries, along with two others, in twin blasts allegedly triggered by CPI (Maoist) insurgents, and succumbed while under treatment in Rourkela, Odisha.”