Utpal is a Senior Assistant Editor based in Guwahati. He covers seven states of North-East India and heads the editorial team for the region. He was previously based in Kathmandu, Dehradun and Delhi with Hindustan Times.
Articles by Utpal Parashar
Over 4,000 cases lodged as part of campaign against child marriages in Assam
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday reiterated the resolve to end child marriages in the state
Published on Feb 02, 2023 04:08 PM IST
Don’t issue birth, death certificates to undocumented immigrants: Mizoram govt
The order came amid an influx of refugees from Myanmar into Mizoram following the military coup in that country
Published on Feb 02, 2023 02:14 PM IST
Days after demise, letter to reveal who betrayed poet Phukan
It is a whodunit that has haunted Assam’s literary circles for close to five decades
Updated on Jan 30, 2023 12:27 PM IST
Utpal Parashar, Guwahati
‘Probe underway’: Gauhati HC disposes PIL on alleged fake encounters in Assam
A petition in the Gauhati high court had sought inquiry by an independent agency into alleged incidents in Assam of deaths and injuries to persons in illegal police action, usually termed as ‘fake encounters’
Published on Jan 28, 2023 11:39 AM IST
60 more villages to get included in Bodo council, says Assam CM
The Assam government has decided to include villages which have at least 80% Bodo population in the Bodoland Territorial Region
Published on Jan 26, 2023 09:04 PM IST
Revival of Assam’s traditional masks gets Hem Chandra Goswami Padma award
Samaguri Satra has been making masks for over 350 years and Goswami learnt the art from his father Rudra Kanta
Published on Jan 26, 2023 01:18 PM IST
Those who marry girls under 14 to be booked under Pocso: Assam CM
The decision was taken after the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) carried out in 2019-20 showed that percentage of women aged between 20-24 years married before the legal age of 18 years in the northeastern state was 31.8%, higher than the national figure of 23.3%.
Updated on Jan 24, 2023 01:10 PM IST
Utpal Parashar, Guwahati
Assam cabinet nod to ‘massive police crackdown’ on child marriages
The decision was taken after the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) carried out between 2019 and 2020 showed 31.8% of women aged between 20-24 years in the northeastern state were married before the legal age of 18 years, which is higher than the national figure of 23.3%
Published on Jan 23, 2023 04:55 PM IST
Probe against two IAS officers for ‘ruckus’ inside Assam sanctuary
A departmental inquiry has been initiated against two Assam Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers for allegedly flouting rules and creating a ruckus inside Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, according to people aware of the matter
Published on Jan 18, 2023 12:17 AM IST
Utpal Parashar, Guwahati
Assam: Probe against IAS officers for creating ruckus at Pobitora sanctuary
In the complaint, it was alleged that the officers, who had come to the sanctuary with friends and family, smoked in the jungle (which is not permitted), sat on the bonnet of safari jeeps and created a ruckus.
Updated on Jan 17, 2023 04:15 PM IST
After 5 years at top, Assam claims 60% reduction in crime against women
Assam DGP said the drop in crimes against women happened in the state last year due to setting up of special cells and coordinated approach by all stakeholders
Published on Jan 16, 2023 08:43 PM IST
3 dead, 12 injured as pilgrim bus rams into parked truck in Assam
According to the police, the bus was returning from the Parasasuram Kund Mela in Arunachal Pradesh carrying 21 passengers, all from Assam’s Baksa district
Published on Jan 16, 2023 01:42 PM IST
Shrapnel from Myanmar bomb found on Indian side: Mizoram officials
On Thursday, the Young Mizo Association (YMA), an influential youth organization of Mizoram, claimed that the bomb from the aerial strike landed at the Tiau river and also partly damaged an Indian vehicle. Tiau
Updated on Jan 14, 2023 02:52 PM IST
Longest river cruise docks amid fanfare in Varanasi
The Ganga Vilas cruise, operated by Antara Cruises, scheduled to be flagged off by Modi on January 13, will traverse 3,200km through five states in India and parts of Bangladesh over 51 days.
Updated on Jan 12, 2023 12:49 PM IST
Arunachal to hand over terminated hydropower projects to CPSUs
Naying (1000MW), Hirong (500MW), Emini (500MW), Amulin (420MW), and Minundon (400MW) projects were with individual power producers before they were terminated over reasons such as delays
Published on Jan 11, 2023 09:19 AM IST
Eviction drive launched in Assam’s reserve forest
Deputy commissioner Sumit Sattawan said around 500 families living illegally in the forest were issued eviction notices and almost all of them voluntarily brought down encroachments
Published on Jan 10, 2023 11:29 AM IST
Assam woman, son traced to Pakistani jail 2 months after going missing
She was allegedly duped and taken to Saudi Arabia first on the pretext of marriage using forged documents and then to Pakistan
Published on Jan 06, 2023 04:19 PM IST
Officials will face action for razing houses, Assam govt tells HC
The high court had filed a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) in connection with the razing of houses of five people who allegedly set the Batadrava police station on fire on May 21 after the death of a person in custody.
Published on Jan 05, 2023 12:12 AM IST
Assam assures action against officials for bulldozing houses of accused
The Assam government has also assured adequate compensation to those affected by the bulldozing of houses
Published on Jan 04, 2023 04:45 PM IST
‘India has never grabbed an inch of other nations’: Rajnath in Arunachal Pradesh
Speaking at the inauguration of the strategic Siyom bridge on the Along-Yinkiong Road in the border state, the defence minister said that India’s armed forces are always prepared for war-like situations
Updated on Jan 03, 2023 03:28 PM IST
Seven years on, Assam’s crime tracking system’s objectives ‘unachieved’
CCTNS is a ‘mission mode project’ under the national e-Governance plan of govt of India aimed at creating a comprehensive and integrated system for enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of policing.
Updated on Jan 03, 2023 02:25 PM IST
No rhinos poached in Assam in 2022 for 1st time in 45 years
Officials credited sincere, concerted and coordinated efforts of the state’s forest and police departments for zero poaching in 2022
Published on Jan 03, 2023 08:42 AM IST
Assam merges 4 districts before delimitation move
On December 27, the poll panel announced it has initiated the delimitation of 126 assembly and 14 parliamentary constituencies in Assam using the 2001 census figures for the readjustment of seats
Published on Dec 31, 2022 10:40 PM IST
Assam merges 4 districts, redraws boundaries ahead of EC’s delimitation deadline
The Assam Cabinet’s decision comes a day ahead of the Election Commission’s (EC) deadline on starting the delimitation exercise for assembly and parliamentary seats
Updated on Dec 31, 2022 04:24 PM IST
Assam social welfare department gave undue benefit to food suppliers: CAG
The CAG said the department made purchases at exorbitant rates and gave the benefit of over ₹94 crore to the suppliers in 2019-20
Published on Dec 29, 2022 02:22 PM IST
2022: Year of border deals, flare ups in northeast
Assam and Meghalaya resumed talks in August to sort out disputes in the remaining six “complicated” areas of border dispute
Published on Dec 29, 2022 10:22 AM IST
EC starts delimitation of Assam constituencies; Oppn protests
Under the provisions of the Delimitation Act, 1972, the last delimitation of constituencies in Assam was done on the basis of 1971 census figures by the then Delimitation Commission in 1976, EC said.
Updated on Dec 28, 2022 12:16 AM IST
Utpal Parashar and Anish Yande
Hailstorms in Assam damage houses, CM takes stock of situation
According to weather department officials, there has been a dip in temperatures across most parts of the northeast with upper reaches of Arunachal Pradesh witnessing snow and rainfall taking place in parts of Assam
Published on Dec 27, 2022 02:51 PM IST
17-year-old girl attacked with battery acid in Assam’s Barpeta; accused arrested
This was the second such incident reported in Assam in the past three days. On Monday, a businessman was arrested in Dhekiajuli of Sonitpur district for attacking a woman in her 30s with acid.
Updated on Dec 27, 2022 02:28 PM IST
13, including 3 forest staff injured in leopard attack in Assam’s Jorhat | Video
Videos of the incident were also posted on social media in which, a leopard is seen jumping over a barbed wire and attacking a van with people inside
Updated on Dec 27, 2022 12:32 PM IST
