West Bengal: Two arrested in TMC MLA Satyajit Biswas murder case

Agencies

February 10, 2019

Nadia, Feb 10: Two persons have been arrested in connection with the killing of Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Satyajit Biswas in Nadia in West Bengal, police said on Sunday.

Biswas, who was elected from Krishnaganj in Nadia district, was shot dead by unidentified assailants at a Saraswati puja on Saturday.

Those arrested have been identified as Sujit Mondal and Kartik Mondal.

The police have also suspended the officer-in-charge (OC) of Hanskhali Police Station. However, the reason for his suspension is yet to be known.An FIR in the case was registered on Saturday. According to police sources, the lawmaker was shot multiple times from a close range when he was coming down from the stage after attending the event.

The TMC has alleged that the BJP got Biswas eliminated, a charge denied by the BJP.

Gauri Shankar Dutta, TMC's district president, alleged on Saturday that BJP leaders conspired to kill Biswas as he defeated the BJP candidate by a huge margin.

"Satyajit Biswas was BJP's target for a very long time. He had been a preventive wall for attempts of Mukul Roy and Soumitra Thakur for movement of 'Matua' community votes to the BJP. The murder of Biswas is the handiwork of Mukul Roy. He is touring these days across the area to strengthen the BJP. He is the conspirator. Roy had earlier lashed out at Satyajit Biswas. We will fight it (the murder case) and ensure that justice is done," he alleged.

"The BJP is playing politics of bloodshed in the state," he claimed.

Roy, a former leader of Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress, left the party in 2017 and joined the BJP.

Nadia district Zila Parishad member, Santosh Kumar Guha, said, "Satyajit Biswas was a good person. We doubt if he had any enemy. Political parties like the BJP have always been thinking of removing Biswas from here. So someone from the BJP must have killed him."

Denying the allegations, the BJP claimed that factional feud in the ruling party was behind the attack. BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said, "This is utterly tragic. This shows even lawmakers of the ruling party are not safe in the total lawlessness of Mamata Banerjee's Bengal. In the last few months, each time a TMC leader or a supporter is killed, they blame our party. How can the BJP kill a TMC MLA? Our security itself is in question."

"We would like to tell the central government that this is the situation in Bengal where even a ruling party lawmaker is not safe. How will the Trinamool Congress government protect the people of the state? People in the state are living at the behest of God," Ghosh said in a video on his Twitter handle.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

RuTAGe smart village centres in DK, Udupi to being technology closer to rural communities

News Network

January 20,2026

Mangaluru: In a major step towards strengthening rural innovation, the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India is supporting the establishment of RuTAGe Smart Village Centres (RSVCs) across the country through collaborations with academic institutions, civil society organisations and philanthropic partners.

As part of this national initiative, Nitte (Deemed to be University) will set up the first RSVCs in the region at Nitte GP in Udupi district and at the Nitte Health Centre, Sevanjali Trust, Farangipete, in Dakshina Kannada district. The centres will be inaugurated on January 21. In South India, the programme is being implemented by the Section Infin-8 Foundation (SI-8).

Speaking to reporters on Monday, SI-8 founder-director Vishwas US said experts from Nitte University and SI-8 would work closely with farmers, students, youth and local entrepreneurs to adapt and deploy technologies tailored to local needs.

Project head Prof Iddya Karunasagar, representing Nitte DU, said the RSVCs at Nitte and Farangipete would serve as demonstration hubs for a wide range of agriculture, energy, skill-development and assistive technologies. These include solar dryers for fruits, vegetables and crops; soil-testing solutions; power weeders and women-friendly farm tools; wind-powered devices for rural artisans; grain storage systems; grass-cutting and tree-climbing equipment; and liquid fertiliser production using cowshed waste.

SI-8 CEO Aravind C Kumar said the centres would also provide access to digital and knowledge-based platforms such as ISRO applications, government scheme portals, market linkage tools and gamified learning resources, along with assistive technologies for persons with visual impairments.

Highlighting the broader impact of the initiative, Principal Scientific Adviser Prof Ajay Kumar Sood said it demonstrated how applied research could bridge the rural–urban divide and help create self-reliant, technology-enabled villages.

The initiative has been made possible through philanthropic support from Dr NC Murthy of ACM Business Solutions, LLC, USA. Dr Sapna Poti, Director (Strategic Alliances) at the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, said the long-term objective is to build self-sufficient, technology-driven communities capable of generating sustainable livelihoods on their own.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

KCF Abu Dhabi zone recognises community service with Social Impact Awards 2025–26

News Network

January 20,2026

KCF, a global socio-cultural organisation of Karnataka expatriates, is actively involved in education, humanitarian initiatives and community well-being across several countries. The awardees were selected following a structured evaluation of nominations by the Annual Council Program Committee, based on the depth, consistency and long-term impact of their social service.

One of the award recipients, Abdul Razak Haji, a prominent UAE-based entrepreneur from the Qamcon Group of Companies, was honoured for his significant contributions to society. Through both his professional journey and personal initiatives, he has supported numerous employees and families, while also extending assistance in education, housing for the underprivileged and various charitable causes, largely carried out quietly over the years. His award was presented earlier during the Annual Council Program held at the KCF Abu Dhabi office.

The second award was conferred on Latheef Kakkinje, a young social worker based in Abu Dhabi, in recognition of his active involvement in community engagement programmes, sports initiatives, talent festivals and family-oriented social activities. His consistent volunteering efforts and commitment to humanitarian causes were highly appreciated by the selection committee.

The award presentation ceremony for Latheef Kakkinje was held at the Zayed Cricket Stadium (Astro Turf Ground) in the presence of Kedumbady Ibrahim Saqafi, President of KCF UAE; Ibrahim, General Secretary; Kabeer Bayambady, President of KCF Abu Dhabi; Ummer Ishwaramangila, General Secretary; along with other members of the KCF Abu Dhabi cabinet.

Congratulating both awardees, KCF leaders reiterated the organisation’s commitment to recognising individuals who selflessly work for social upliftment and community service.

Comments