cash in M’laya

SHILLONG, JAN 25 (PTI): Unaccounted cash of over Rs 10 lakh has been seized from four people in poll-bound Meghalaya’s in South West Garo Hills district, Chief Electoral Officer F R Kharkongor said.

The cash seizure was made by flying squad officials in the district, the CEO said, adding that so far unaccounted cash of over Rs 20 lakh was recovered in the state.

“Flying squads have seized Rs 10.35 lakh cash from the possession of four persons... ,” the CEO said.

The seizure was made after the four people could not produce any valid document for carrying the cash, but “no one was arrested”, he mentioned.

Their claims are “under investigation”, he said.

Elections to the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly will be held on February 27 and the model code of conduct is in force in the state.

The CEO had earlier said that at least 34 assembly constituencies in Meghalaya have been identified as “expenditure sensitive” and strict monitoring would be made in these segments.

shields of many vehicles parked nearby.

According to reports, the blast occurred at the busy Gandhi Chowk of Ukhrul district headquarters around 5.10 pm on Wednesday.

The four passerby who sustained minor splinter injuries were administered medical treatment at Ukhrul

No armed group operating in the district owned up to the blast till the time of filing this report though the police suspect armed groups actively operating in the district behind the blast.

The blast was triggered at a time when a tightened security measures are in place in view of boycotts and general strikes calls by various rebel groups against celebrations of Republic Day of India on January 26.

The ULFA (I), in a press release emailed to media houses, gave a call for the boycott of the Republic Day celebrations in the state.

“There are intelligence inputs, however, that the outfit is trying to regroup in some Upper Assam districts such as Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar and Charaideo and they may try to create disturbances but the security forces are prepared to thwart any such attempt,” the official added.