Eminent sports personality of Assam, Prafulla Kumar Borkotoky died of post COVID complications on Thursday evening. He was under treatment at Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH) after being detected with the virus and breathed his last yesterday. Prafulla Kumar Borkotoky was 83. Sources said that he died of post COVID complications. He was a reputed footballer and represented the famous Thengal Football Club. Borkotoky, was a retired employee of Oil & Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) and was a resident of Tarajan TRP Road. He leaves behind his wife, two sons, a daughter and a host of relatives.
In a shocking incident, three drugs mafia have been injured in a firing that took place between police and robbers at Nalbari. The incident took place at Mugkusi Chowk in Hajo- Nalbari road. The injured have been identified as Bakkar Siddique, Biju Ahmed, Rubul Hussain. According to sources, the dacoits fired at the police during an operation launched by the police team against drugs. The police seized one vehicle bearing registration number AS01 BF 6693. A pistol has also been recovered from the place. Meanwhile, In an attempt to stop drug trafficking in state, over 450 drug dealers have been apprehended by the Assam Police. Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma assumed office on May 19 and directed law and order enforcement agency for a total crackdown on drug peddlers.
The Kamakhya Devalaya will remain closed for devotees till June 30 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The temple was closed since May 13 keeping in view of the surge in coronavirus cases for 15 days which has been further extended till June 30. The temple authority said that the Ambubachi Mela which will be held from June 22 will also not be celebrated amid the pandemic crisis. The rituals will be performed inside the temple by the priests but will remain closed for devotees. No sadhus and saints will be allowed to come during the Ambubachi which is celebrated during the menstrual cycle of Maa Kamakhya. Unlike the other years, this year temple authority will not allow any visitors and pilgrims to visit the temple during Ambubachi as the state along with the rest of the country is going through a tough period amid the coronavirus outbreak. The decision has been taken by the 'Dolois' (priests) that only the rituals and prayers associated with the festival would be performed by them. The temple authority will also not allow any sadhus to visit the temple or the nearby areas to prevent the spread of coronavirus pandemic.
Congress leader Abir Choudhury detained by Cachar Police. The police seized his mobile phone on the basis of an FIR filed against him for allegedly defaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah on Facebook. The FIR was filed by the Cachar district president of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, Amitesh Chakraborty at the Silchar Sadar police station on 17th May, as reported by Media sources. Amitesh Chakraborty mentions in the FIR, "There is a fine line between criticizing a political ideology and defaming the torch-bearer and office bearer of this country. The person named Abir Choudhury (facebook id) has been engaged and indulged in castigating, censuring, denouncing, and defaming the Prime Minister of India, Home minister of this country relentlessly at the various level which not only is malevolence but is disgraceful to all the competent authority of this state."
The old Saraighat bridge will remain closed for three months from today for repairing work, informed NF Railway. As reported by a media source, the historical bridge will remain closed for 3 months from today. The reason for the closure is because the bridge is currently under maintenance and repairing by the NF Railway. According to reports, this decision was made by the railway authorities in view of the repairing to be made on the bridge. However, the new Saraighat bridge which is beside the old one will remain open for travelling while the old bridge undergoes repairing for the next three months.
The second case of Black Fungus or Mucormycosis has been detected in a patient at Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH), confirmed doctors. The doctors confirmed that the culture and biopsy reports suggest that the patient is affected by mucormycosis. "The potassium hydroxide test to determine Black fungal infection came out to be positive," said Dr. Bhaskar Gupta, Vice Principal of SMCH. Dr. Gupta said that the biopsy and culture reports of the patient from Karimganj district which were available on Thursday suggest that the patient is infected with Black Fungus or mucormycosis. According to reports, the patient is admitted in the Medicine ward of the hospital. Doctors said that although the patient is stable it cannot be said that he is out of danger. "We are watchful and taking proper care and the treatment done is as per the state protocol," the doctor said.
The Assam Congress on Friday submitted a memorandum to the President of India through Assam Governor Professor Jagdish Mukhi suggesting the vaccination programme be accelerated in order to complete the vaccination of the country's adult population by December 31, 2021. The Assam Congress has submitted the memorandum to Ram Nath Kovind suggesting 1 crore vaccination per day. The memorandum reads, "…direct the Modi Government to ensure one crore vaccination per day as also universal free vaccination." It further adds, "We need to vaccinate our entire adult population of above 18 years on or before 31st December 2021. This is the only way to save our people. For this, the only solution is to vaccinate at least one crore people a day and not the current average of 16 lakh people a day." The Assam Congress led by Rakibul Hussain in its memo, also criticized the Central Government for differential pricing of COVID-19 vaccines.
Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday instructed the health department that the COVID patients of any age group with co-morbidity should not be allowed for home quarantine and that they should be referred for institutional quarantine. The Chief Minister took stock of Covid-19 scenario in the state in a review meeting heal today at Janata Bhawan with the health department. In view of decreasing death rate and positivity rate in the state, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed confidence that the situation will improve substantially in the next few weeks. In the meeting, the Chief Minister also discussed the issue of fixing the rate of private hospitals for Covid treatment, and patient-friendly reasonable prices were fixed for Covid treatment in both general wards and super-specialty wards in private hospitals. The rates were decided so that no discrepancy remains in charging the patients for healthcare services in private hospitals in both general and super-specialty wards in this time of the pandemic.
Assam health minister Keshab Mahanta on Friday informed that the decision on the COVID-19 curfew and the ban on inter-district travel will be taken on June 7 (Monday). Addressing a presser, the minister said in the last few days, there has been significant drop in COVID-19 positivity rate. "The COVID-19 scenario in the state has improved due to people's cooperation. The death rate is also dipping. The restrictions enforced due to the virus were not reviewed today. We will take the decision on the same on June 7," Mahanta said. On Thursday, Assam logged 4,309 fresh cases of COVID-19 with a positivity rate of 4.02 per cent, taking the active caseload count to 50,534. The state recorded 4,790 discharges and 46 fatalities.
The Assam government has issued revised Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in regards to the COVID-19 induced curfew in the state. The new SOPs include relaxation of curfew timing – 1pm to 5am. Shops and commercial establishments which were required to be closed by 11pm, can now remain open till 12pm. The new SOPs will remain in effect from 5am of June 6 till 5am of June 16.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted isolated heavy rainfall in Assam and parts of the North Eastern region in the next five days. It said that heavy rainfall will be witnessed likely over Arunachal on June 4 and 5; over Assam & Meghalaya during June 4-8 and over Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram & Tripura on June 5-7. The IMD reiterated that strengthening of moist and lower-level winds blowing in from the Bay of Bengal will trigger the rainfalls in the region.
The state of Assam on Friday recorded 4,548 new cases of coronavirus, taking the active caseload to 50,765. The state positivity rate is 3.68 per cent. 54 Covid related deaths were reported, while, 4,263 cured patients were discharged today. Of the new cases, Kamrup Metro reported the highest infections with 421 cases, followed by Tinsukia with 359, Nagaon with 353 and Dibrugarh with 323 cases. The new cases were detected out of 1,23,593 tests conducted today. The total recoveries have touched 3,73,244 cases with 87.02 per cent recovery rate.
Actor Juhi Chawla was fined Rs 20 lakh by Delhi High Court after being dismissed a lawsuit against setting up of 5G wireless networks in the country. The court said the lawsuit was for "publicity" as Chawla had circulated the video conferencing link of the hearing on social media resulting in repeated interruptions by unknown persons. It said that Chawla and two other plaintiffs have abused misused the process of law and wasted the court's time. Contempt notices were also issued against unknown persons by the court for interrupting the court proceedings. After pronouncement of order, Chawla's counsel sought a stay on the verdict which was outrightly denied by the court. During the earlier hearings, the court had termed the lawsuit as "defective" and said it was filed for "media publicity". Further, the court said the plaintiffs were required to first approach the government of their rights and then come to the court if denied.
As Assam was reeling from a brutal attack on a doctor in Hojai, another such incident has come to light. In Hailakandi, an on-duty government doctor was reportedly assaulted by family members of a COVID-19 patient who died during treatment. Two persons including a lady were arrested on Friday in connection to the assault. They were identified as Rumpi Malakar and Himangshu Malakar. As per a report, the doctor, Dr Gaurav Bhattacharjee, was assaulted after the COVID patient died within minutes of being admitted. The patient's relatives and friends blamed the hospital for the death. "The patient had severe breathing issues. He died within a few minutes of reaching the hospital. We could not even start the treatment," said Dr Bhattacharjee, adding that it was his job to declare the patient dead.
The owner of an illegal coal mine in East Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya has been arrested, said a police officer. The owner has been running the coal mine in which five miners have been trapped for four days. However, the rescue operation is on. The owner, Shining Langstang, was arrested from Sutunga village near the mine in Meghalaya. The rat-hole mine at Umpleng about 20 km from Khlieriat, the district headquarters of East Jiantia Hills district was flooded after a dynamite explosion on Sunday. A deep vertical shaft is dug till coal seams are found in the rat-hole mining. Once the seams are found, coal is taken out through small holes along the horizontal line of the coal seams. "The Sordar (mine manager) is on the run and we are trying to arrest him. In this regard, a lookout notice has been issued and his posters have been put up throughout the district," Superintendent of Police Jagpal Singh Dhanoa said while quoted by PTI.
