THE HIMALAYAN MAIL JAMMU MONDAY AUGUST 02, 2021 NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL 7 SC to hear pleas seeking probe into Ready to withdraw FIR against Assam Pegasus snooping row on Thursday CM Sarma, says govt NEW DELHI, AU- tion of the right to privacy , AUGUST 1: GUST 1: The Supreme which has been held to be a The Mizoram government is Court is scheduled to hear on fundamental right under Ar- ready to withdraw the FIR August 5 the pleas, including ticles 14 (equality before the filed against Assam Chief the one filed by senior jour- law), 19 (freedom of speech Minister Himanta Biswa nalists N Ram and Sashi Ku- and expression) and 21 (pro- Sarma, Chief Secretary Lal- mar, who have sought an in- tection of life and personal nunmawia Chuango said on dependent probe by a sitting liberty) by the Supreme Sunday. or a retired judge into the al- Court,” said the plea, filed by Even Zo- leged Pegasus snooping mat- the two journalists. ramthanga did not approve ter. The hacking of phones be- the inclusion of Sarma’s name According to the cause list longing to journalists, doc- in the FIR, he said. uploaded on the apex court tors, lawyers, activists, minis- “In fact, our Chief Minister website, a Bench comprising ters and opposition did not really approve of men- Chief Justice N V Ramana politicians “seriously com- tioning the name of the As- and Justice Surya Kant promises” the effective exer- sam Chief Minister in the FIR. would hear on August 5 three cise of the fundamental right He suggested to me that we separate petitions seeking muzzle the exercise of free sus software. to free speech and expres- should look into it,” he told re- probe into the reports of al- speech and expression of dis- Besides the plea filed by sion, it said. Such an act has porters. leged snooping by govern- sent in . Ram and Kumar, two sepa- an obvious chilling effect on Chuango said that he will ment agencies on eminent The petition also seeks a rate petitions on the issue expression by threatening in- discuss the matter with police citizens, politicians and direction to the Centre to dis- have been filed in the apex vasion into the most core and officials concerned and re- 200 unidentified police per- pute between the two North- lice also registered criminal scribes by using Israeli spy- close if the government or court by advocate M L private aspects of a person’s move the name of the Assam sonnel will be withdrawn. eastern states. cases against 200 unidenti- ware Pegasus. any of its agencies obtained Sharma and John Brittas. life, it added. Chief Minister if there is no le- The Mizoram Police The four senior Assam Po- fied personnel of the Assam On July 30, the top court licence for Pegasus spyware In his plea, Sharma has According to the petition, gal validity to substantiate the booked Sarma, four senior lice officers named in the FIR Police. The four senior Assam had said it would hear next and used it, either directly or sought a court-monitored hacking of phones using the allegations against him. Assam Police officers and two are Inspector General of Po- Police officers and two offi- week the plea filed by Ram indirectly, to conduct surveil- probe by a Special Investiga- Pegasus spyware constituted “I will hold discussion with officials on different charges, lice (IGP) Anurag Aggarwal, cials were asked to appear be- and Kumar in the matter. lance in any manner. tion Team (SIT) into the re- a criminal offence punish- the police officer who filed the including ‘attempt to murder’, Deputy Inspector General fore the investigating officer Senior advocate Kapil The petitioners have ports of alleged snooping. able under Sections 66 (com- FIR, and if there is no legal fit, ‘criminal conspiracy’ and ‘as- (DIG) of Cachar Devojyoti at the Vairengte police station Sibal, appearing for the se- claimed that investigations An international media puter related offences), 66B we would like to remove the sault’. Mukherjee, Cachar’s Super- on Sunday. nior journalists, had told the involving several leading consortium has reported (punishment for dishonestly name of Assam chief minister The FIR was registered at intendent of Police Cahn- Meanwhile, the Assam Po- court last week that the plea publications around the that over 300 verified Indian receiving stolen computer from the FIR,” he said, adding the Vairengte police station by drakant Nimbalkar, and Offi- lice also summoned Mizo- needed an urgent hearing in world have revealed that sev- mobile phone numbers were resource or communication that he was unaware of the de- its officer-in-charge Lalchaw- cer-In-Charge of Dholai ram’s Rajya Sabha MP K Van- view of its wide ramifica- eral Indians, including jour- on a list of potential targets device), 66E (punishment velopment when the criminal imawia on July 26 soon after Police Station Sahab Uddin. lalvena and six others tions. nalists, lawyers, ministers, for surveillance using Israeli for violation of privacy) and case was filed against Sarma. the violent clash with the As- Cachar Deputy Commis- officials, including Kolasib’s According to the plea, the opposition politicians and firm NSO’s Pegasus spyware. 66F (punishment for cybert- The Chief Secretary, how- sam Police. sioner Keerthi Jalli and Deputy Commissioner H alleged snooping repre- activists, have been identi- “The targeted surveillance errorism) of the IT Act, pun- ever, did not mention At least seven people from Cachar Divisional Forest Of- Lalthlangliana and Superin- sented an attempt by agen- fied as potential targets for using military-grade spy- ishable with imprisonment whether the cases filed Assam, including six police ficer Sunnydeo Chaudhary tendent of Police Vanlalfaka cies and organisations to surveillance using the Pega- ware is an unacceptable viola- and/or fine. against six Assam officials and personnel, were killed in the were also booked. Ralte, for questioning on Sun- violence amid the border dis- Besides, the Mizoram Po- day. Incidents at Assam-Mizoram border speaks to Himanta, Zoramthanga unacceptable, talk only solution: Himanta on Mizoram-Assam border tensio GUWAHATI/AIZWAL, border is unacceptable to the tendent of police of Kolasib circumvent the troubled AIZAWL, AUGUST 1: to prevent any possible esca- AUGUST 1: Six days after a people of both states. district, and ordered them to boundary by taking a longer Union Home Minister Amit lation of the situation, I re- violent clash between police “Honble CM @Zo- appear at Dholai police sta- route through Tripura. Shah spoke to Assam Chief quest the people of Mizoram forces of Assam and Mizo- ramthangaCM had tion on Monday. Assam government on Minister Himanta Biswa to avoid posting sensitive ram claimed seven lives and promised to call me to post However, on Sunday, the Thursday had also issued an Sarma and Mizoram CM Zo- messages and make judi- injured over 50 people, Chief his quarantine. Border dis- Chief Secretary of Mizoram unprecedented travel advi- ramthanga over the phone cious use of social media Minister Himanta Biswa putes can only be resolved has said the state’s chief min- sory asking people not to on Sunday to defuse the bor- platform,” he said. Sarma on Sunday said such through discussion,” Sarma ister had frowned on charges travel to Mizoram and ad- der tension between the two Tension continued at the incidents along the inter- said in his tweet. levelled against his Assam vised people from the state Northeastern states. border areas after the violent state border are “unaccept- Despite an attempt by counterpart and indicated working or staying there to During the phone call, it clash that took place near able” to people of both the Shah to resolve the long these are likely to be with- “exercise utmost caution.” was decided to resolve the Vairengte town in Mizo- states and advocated a resolu- standing border disuptes be- drawn. Despite an agree- Tension along the border border issue amicably ram’s Kolasib district on tion through talks. tween Assam and its neigh- ment hammered out on with Mizoram in Cachar and through meaningful dia- July 26, leaving at least Assam Chief Minister bours earlier this month Wednesday night, by the Hailakandi districts of As- logue, Zoramthanga said. seven people from Assam, Sarma, who has been through a meeting he Union home ministry to sam have been escalating “As per telephonic discus- including six police person- charged with criminal con- chaired, at least six Assam maintain calm on the border since October 2020 with fre- sion with Union Home Min- nel, dead. The Centre has spiracy and attempt to mur- Police personnel and one and to allow a neutral central quent incidents of burning of ister and Assam Chief Minis- ingful dialogue,” he tweeted. tive messages and misuse of deployed around five com- der in an FIR by Mizoram civilian were killed while de- police force to act as peace- houses and encroachment of ter, we agreed to resolve the Zoramthanga also urged social media in order to de- panies of the Central Armed Police, also spoke of keeping fending a disputed boundary keepers, the two states have land. Mizoram-Assam border is- the people of Mizoram to re- escalate the ongoing tension. Police Force (CRPF) to alive the spirit of the North with Mizoram and more continued to trade charges of The two states share a sue amicably through mean- frain from posting provoca- “In the meantime, in order defuse tension. East in a Twitter post. than 50 people injured, in- reinforcing police pickets 164.6-km border between The tweet comes after cluding the police chief of the and of not refusing to honour Assam’s Cachar, Hailakandi Union Home Minister Amit district of Cachar. the agreement which calls for and Karimganj districts, and Shah spoke to both Assam The Mizoram police had pulling back forces from the Mizoram’s Kolasib, Mamit Over 24,000 children died by suicide Chief Minister Himanta lodged an FIR against Sarma border. and Aizawl districts. Biswa Sarma and Mizoram and six Assam officials under Assamese local organisa- Both states have differing CM Zoramthanga telephoni- various charges, including tions which had soon after interpretations of their terri- from 2017 to 2019: NCRB data cally earlier in the day to charges of attempt to murder the clash announced an eco- torial border. While Mizo- defuse the border tension be- and criminal conspiracy, at nomic blockade of Mizoram ram believes that its border NEW DELHI, AU- society,” Marwaha told PTI. tween the two Northeastern Vairengte police station. have since lifted their lies along an ‘inner line’ GUST 1: Over 24,000 chil- “We also urge the govern- neighbours. The Assam Police has also ‘blokade’, but truckers afraid drawn up in 1875 to protect dren in the age bracket of 14- ment, civil society, commu- “Our main focus is on issued summons to six offi- of possible violence have tribals from outside influ- 18 years committed suicide nities and families to come keeping the spirit of North- cials of Mizoram govern- opted to either park their ve- ence, Assam goes by a dis- from 2017-19, with failure in forward and join hands in East alive. What happened ment, including the deputy hicles near the border in trict demarcation done in the examination being the rea- contributing a robust mecha- along the Assam-Mizoram commissioner and superin- Cachar district’s Dholai or to 1930s. son in over 4,000 such cases, nism towards prevention, according to government therapy, treatment, rehabili- data. tation services and inclusion The consolidated data of of life skill training in school CISF nabs man with fake Civil Aviation the National Crime Records curriculum to help children Bureau (NCRB) on chil- and young adults deal with dren’s suicide was recently daily life stress and ensure Ministry, AAI IDs at Delhi airport presented in Parliament. that mental health becomes According to the data, as Physical abuse was given “Among younger children, part of mainstream health- many as 24,568 children, in- as reason for 81 children’s suicide attempts are often care and wellness agenda, es- cluding 13,325 girls, aged 14- death. impulsive. They may be as- pecially in such testing 18 years, died by suicide be- Death of a dear person, sociated with feelings of sad- times,” she added. tween 2017-19. drug abuse or alcohol addic- ness, confusion, anger, stress Akhila Sivadas, executive In 2017, as many as 8,029 tion, illegitimate pregnancy, or problems with attention director, Centre for Advocacy children in the age group of fall in social reputation, un- and hyperactivity. Among and Research, said the ado- 14-18 years died by suicide. employment, poverty and teenagers, suicide attempts lescent and life skill educa- The number rose to 8,162 in ideological causes or hero may be associated with feel- tion programme that took 2018 and then further in- worshipping were other rea- ings of stress, self-doubt, shape in early 2000 has been creased to 8,377 in 2019, it sons given for the death of pressure to succeed, finan- through a chequered past said. these children by suicide. cial uncertainty, disappoint- with its fortune fluctuating The highest number of Raising alarm over the ment, depression and loss. from great support in some deaths by suicide among probability of worsening of For some teens, suicide may phases to strong censure in children in this age bracket situation due to COVID-19 appear to be a solution to others. was reported from Madhya pandemic, child rights ac- their problems,” she said. “There was never clarity, Pradesh at 3,115 followed by tivists stressed on inclusion She further said that issues consensus and confidence on West Bengal at 2,802, Maha- of life skill training in school related to mental health and how young people should be rashtra at 2,527 and Tamil curriculum and making psycho-social well-being of shaped, steered and enabled Nadu at 2,035. mental health part of main- children and adolescents to deal with the numerous Failure in examination stream healthcare and well- have increasingly become a life challenges and predica- NEW DELHI, AU- urday morning from the of the Ministry of Civil Avia- airport”. The man was was given as the reason be- ness agenda. crucial health and develop- ments they are likely to face,” GUST 1: The CISF has ap- foyer area of the terminal-III tion while the other one was handed over to the Delhi Po- hind the suicide of 4,046 Commenting on how chil- ment priority. she said. prehended an alleged con- of the Indira Gandhi Interna- of air traffic control service of lice for further investigation children, while marriage-re- dren’s psycho-social well-be- “We believe that all chil- “It is not surprising that in man, possessing fake IDs of tional (IGI) Airport as his be- the Airports Authority of In- on the basis of the complaint lated issue was the reason ing is compromised, espe- dren and adolescents have a the age of the internet with- the Civil Aviation Ministry haviour was found suspi- dia (AAI),” the spokesperson of the bank employee, he behind the suicide of 639 cially during times of stress, right to quality mental out the necessary informa- and the AAI, from the Delhi cious, a Central Industrial said. His phone call records said. The CISF is deployed at children, including 411 girls, Puja Marwaha, CEO, CRY- healthcare and psycho-social tion, self-efficacy, support airport who duped people on Security Force (CISF) were scanned and after con- the IGI Airport to provide a according to the data. Child Rights and You, said support mechanisms, and from a strong professional the promise of providing spokesperson said. “He pro- tacting the dialled numbers, it counter-terror protection to About 3,315 children died majority of children and ado- ensuring their mental well- and personal ecosystem they them jobs at the facility, offi- duced two airport photo ID was found that the man had the facility that is used by by suicide for reasons related lescents who attempt suicide being can go a long way in are struggling to both under- cials said on Sunday. cards of different agencies “cheated” an IndusInd Bank lakhs of passengers every day to love affair, while illness have a significant mental helping them grow to their stand and cope with and Akash Babu was inter- which seems to be forged. ATM staffer of Rs 9 lakh “for to travel to international and was given as reason behind health issue/challenge, usu- full potential and become manage the multiple pres- cepted and detained on Sat- One of the identity cards was securing a job for him at the domestic destinations. the suicide of 2,567 children. ally depression. productive members of the sures and expectations.