Guwahati Police seize 10,000 yaba tablets, heroin in Hatigaon raid; 5 arrested

HT Digital GUWAHATI, Nov 13: In a major drug bust, the East Guwahati Police District (EGPD) from Dispur Police Station seized a significant quantity of illegal drugs in a raid at Central Guest House on Naharoni Path in Hatigaon, the city police officials informed on Wednesday. The operation resulted in the seizure of 10,000 Yaba []

Drugs worth over Rs 3 cr seized in Guwahati, 4 held

Guwahati: Drugs worth more than Rs 3 crore have been recovered from Assam's Guwahati and four people, including a woman, have been arrested in this connection, police on Wednesday. The Guwahati police, in a series of posts on X, said that narcotics substances like heroin and 'Yaba' tablets were recovered from a guest house in Hatigaon area of the city. An EGPD team from Dispur PS seized 10,000 'Yaba' tablets, 11 grams of suspected heroin in 5 soap boxes after it carried out a raid, it added. The team from the East Guwahati Police District (EGPD) also nabbed four peddlers, including a 40-year-old woman, and seized four mobile phones along with Rs 5,000 in cash from their possession, it said. A senior official said that the total value of the seized drugs will be over Rs 3.08 crore as per Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) standards. 'Yaba' or 'crazy medicine' in Thai is a tablet form of a mixture of methamphetamine (a powerful and addictive stimulant) and caffeine.

Assam STF nabs accused trio in fake currency case

Guwahati, Oct 10: A team from the Special Task Force (STF) of Assam Police conducted a raid as part of an ongoing investigation into a fake currency case and arrested three accused persons here on Wednesday evening. Official sources said the raid was conducted at the Ribraj-Avenue Apartment at Bishnu-Path, Bormotoria under Dispur police station []

Tobacco Control 3.0 in India: The road is through Science, Technology and Collaboration

Evaluating alternative products creates an opportunity to empower individuals to make informed choices. The way forward in the battle against tobacco consumption entails a holistic and collaborative approach. Furthermore, harnessing the power of technology can amplify outreach efforts. Countries including India are following the World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). However, they are free to exercise their own judgement on timelines given their relative compulsions. Incidentally, in a recent article by former WHO officials, Prof. Robert Beaglehole and Prof. Ruth Bonita have said that current tobacco control strategies are not working, highlighting the missing strategy of harm reductions and the technological advancements available. According to the Human-Centric Approach for Tobacco Control report, it is estimated that by the year 2030 more than 80 per cent of tobaccorelated deaths are likely to be among the low and middle-income countries (LMICs). One third of all deaths due to tobacco use are anticipated to bebecause of CVDs. Hence, India may consider to look at a redefined approach to save lives due to tobacco consumption. The report further states that 27% per cent of Indian adults engage in tobacco consumption and the country is ranked second in tobacco usage, globally. Also, 38% of adult males in India consume tobacco, compared to 9% adult females, 1% of GDP lost every year to diseases and early deaths from tobacco use; and 5% of total healthcare expenditures attributes to the direct expenses for treating tobacco related diseases. Public health experts agreed that cessation remains the quickest way to lessen deaths from tobacco. Policies such as tax increases, smoke-free spaces, advertising bans and educational programs have been emphasised by FCTC. Clinical and medicated solutions have not been fully integrated inthe public policy mitigating the tobacco challenge. A diverse array of alternative products and cessation techniques have proven to be effective in aiding individuals in their journey towards quitting tobacco. Several strategies have been designed to permeate the usage of these products, such as government incentives, awareness campaigns and support from health professionals. To further reduce death and disease rates, there is a need to consider new strategies for fast-tracking adult cessation and providing alternatives for those struggling to quit. Dr Moitreyee Kalita, consultant-pulmonary medicine at Dispur Polyclinic and Hospitals Pvt Ltd, said, Alternatives should be allowed only for serious smokers, providing scientifically proven options to those who genuinely want to quit but struggle due to lack of availability. We need to merge effective global strategies from countries like Japan, Sweden, the UK, and the USA, and consult experts to introduce safer novel alternatives like HTP for quitting smoking. Addressing current tobacco use and creating a harm reduction plan for consumers is crucial as tobacco imposes significant health burden and economic impact. Thus, providing less harmful alternatives and promoting safer practices, for those unable to quit, should be part of a holistic harm reduction approach, aiming to reduce the broader impact on the population. Individuals who are unable to quit smoking should be encouraged to switch to less hazardous alternatives, minimising their overall health risks. Additionally, there can be an enhanced focus on making nicotine reduction techniques (NRTs) affordable and accessible to the general population. These should include plans and policies to monitor and maintain an exhaustive database of listed and unlisted manufacturers and retailers of tobacco products. Use blockchain to track the trade of illicit cigarettes and gutka. There is also a need to increase investment in nationwide mass media campaigns, supported by targeted regional media, aimed at educating smokers, dispelling myths about tobacco use and encouraging their support for cessation. This campaign could draw inspiration from the Pulse Polio campaign that led to the country being declared polio-free. Besides, there is a clear case to increase investment in innovation funds to support research, data collection and impact monitoring. Public investment in science-based solutions for tobacco control and strengthening the regulatory framework and introducing subsidies for solutions and policies that can help to reduce the use of tobacco are the need of the hour. There is also a need to provide incentives to manufacturers to develop products that reduce exposure to tobacco toxicants while delivering similar consumer experiences. Offer subsidies to manufacturers of tobacco alternatives for creation of affordable harm reduction options and conducting research to understand their health impact. There should also be a system to promote collaboration between the government, public health experts, regulators, consumers, healthcare practitioners, among other stakeholders to develop innovative and effective harm reduction methods and alternatives. It is imperative and critical for India to have a holistic roadmap towards tobacco harm reductionand cessation because it plays a key role in controlling tobacco addiction by reducing consumption of cigarettes and risky oral tobacco products. Introduction of less harmful alternatives aligns with the governments goal of reducing tobacco-related harm and encouraging cessation. Offering smokers less harmful alternatives provides them with a potentially effective tool to withdraw from combustible tobacco. Evaluating alternative products creates an opportunity to empower individuals to make informed choices about their tobacco use and reduce the harm associated with it. For individuals who are not willing to quit tobacco, switching to less harmfulnicotine products could offer huge benefits. Hence, consumers, industry players and the government can together come forward to facilitate tobacco harm reduction policies for a healthy future. The way forward in the battle against tobacco consumption entails a holistic and collaborative approach. Taking cognisance of the long-term irreversible consequences induced by tobacco consumption, it becomes imperative to design a human-centric harm reduction strategy encompassing all stakeholders - producers, consumers, regulatory agencies, public health professionals and support groups. By persistently addressing the multidimensional challenges posed by tobacco, India can pave the way for a healthier smoke-free future for individuals and communities across the nation.

Heavy rain inundates several roads in Guwahati, normal life affected

A spell of heavy rain early on Sunday inundated several arterial roads and residential areas in Assam's Guwahati, disrupting vehicular movement and causing inconvenience to residents of the capital city of the northeastern state. People were seen wading through knee-deep waters in some areas of the city while the water level reached up to the chest in several localities. Inundation was reported from Zoo Road, Nabin Nagar, Ganeshguri, Hedayetpur, Guwahati Club, Ulubari, Hatigaon, Gita Nagar, Maligaon, Lachit Nagar, Chandmari, Panjabari, Jorabat, Jatia, Jyotikuchi and Ghoramara and RG Baruah Road areas. The three-hour downpour also led to waterlogging in GS Road, Anil Nagar, VIP Road, Tarun Nagar, Rajgarh Road, Jorabat, Rukmini Gaon, Survey and Chatribari areas in the city. Vehicles on GS Road were stopped at Dispur from moving further towards Choy Mile due to flooding in Rukmini Gaon area. They were also diverted through the Last Gate point along Survey-Beltola Road, which was also

Opp lodges FIR against Assam CM over provocative remarks

Guwahati, August 28: The United Opposition Forum, Assam on Wednesday lodged a first information report (FIR) against Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at Dispur police station here, accusing him of trying to promote enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion and race. The FIR, addressed to the officer-in-charge of Dispur police station, [] The post Opp lodges FIR against Assam CM over provocative remarks appeared first on The Shillong Times .

'Withdraw FIR or all outsiders in Assam will face the consequence': ULFA to BJP leader

GUWAHATI: The United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) on Monday asked a BJP leader, Gaurav Somani, to withdraw an FIR that he filed against Shrinkhal Chaliha, a Bir Lachit Sena leader. The banned insurgent group warned that if Chaliha is arrested, the outsiders living in the state would face a grave situation. The BJP leader had filed the FIR with the Dispur police station in Guwahati earlier in the day. He said he heard Chaliha in a video spewing venom against certain non-Assamese communities and threatening them. He alleged the Bir Lachit Sena leader was trying to disturb social harmony for personal political gains but his act not only hurt his (Somanis) feelings but also created a fear psychosis among people. In a statement, the ULFA said a group of non-Assamese businessmen had on August 13 subjected arm wrestler Jimmy Das, a 17-year-old local girl, to physical assault. The outfit said the subsequent democratic protests staged by some organisations and people were their moral rights. Gaurav Somani should immediately withdraw the FIR. If he doesnt do that and the police arrest Shrinkhal Chaliha based on it, then it will lead to a grave situation in Assam. For the act of one Gaurav Somani, all outsiders will face the consequence, the ULFA warned. The attack on the arm wrestler, which took place in the Babu Patty locality of the upper Assam town, had triggered a public outrage. The locals and various organisations condemned it and demanded action against those involved. Protests were staged also on Monday by 30 organisations in Sivasagar. Earlier, the police arrested two persons for their alleged involvement in the incident of assault.

Assam police recover bomb-like objects after ULFA's claim of planting bombs across state

GUWAHATI: The Assam police on Thursday recovered bomb-like objects from five places, including Guwahati. Earlier in the day, insurgent group United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) sent the police into a tizzy with claims of planting bombs in 24 locations across the state. In an email statement to media, the outfit shared the names and the photos of 19 sites. Eight were in Guwahati, including one near Dispur, which is the states seat of power. The ULFA said it had planted the bombs to register its armed protest on the Independence Day but they did not explode due to technical errors. The outfit said it made public the sites keeping in mind public safety and sought peoples cooperation in defusing the bombs. Soon, searches by the police followed at all the locations mentioned by the ULFA. Director General of Police GP Singh said the police carried out extensive searches throughout the state for explosive devices. At two places in Guwahati, suspicious articles were found which were opened by bomb disposal squad of police. These articles do not have ignition device inside though some circuits and batteries are seen. The substance inside is being sent for forensic/chemical examination, Singh posted on X. Similar articles have been seen at Lakhimpur, Sivasagar, Nalbari & Nagaon which have been safely disposed. In this connection, appropriate lawful investigation has been initiated, he added. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma requested ULFA chief Paresh Baruah not to create an atmosphere that will affect the flow of investments into Assam. He said Tata set up a semiconductor industry in Assam and after many years, the state was somewhat on the road to progress and development. Assam has 14 lakh (unemployed) youths. Our youths go to Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh to work as security guards. If Assamese youths do not stay in Assam, with whom will we make Assam independent? Sarma asked, making an oblique reference to ULFAs demand for Assams sovereignty. He added that he was interested in resolving problems through dialogues. Earlier, the ULFA and the Yung Aung faction of National Socialist Council of Nagaland called for a total shutdown in Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh on August 15. In a joint statement, they urged people to abstain from participating in the Independence Day celebrations.

United Liberation Front of Assam claims to plant 19 bombs across state

GUWAHATI: The Paresh Baruah faction of the insurgent group United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) said it had planted bombs at 19 places to register armed protest on Thursday. In a statement, the banned outfit shared photos of the 19 sites where it claimed to have planted the bombs. Seven of them are in Guwahati, including one in Dispur Last Gate. Earlier, the ULFA and the Yung Aung faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland called for a total shutdown in Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh on August 15. In a joint statement, they urged people to abstain from participating in the Independence Day celebrations. These two militant groups in the Northeast, boycott the I-Day celebrations every year.

Assam: Shahid Ali arrested for sexually harassing a woman; was blackmailing her with obscene videos

Shahid Ali, the sexual predator, was arrested by Dispur Police for blackmailing a woman with obscene videos.