June 1, 2026 8:41 pm
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ONLINE AGE

(Online version of the Arunachal Age newspaper)

Author name: OnlineAge

Latest News, Popular News, REGIONAL, State News

Four Arunachal residents killed as vehicle crashes into parked truck in Guwahati

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GUWAHATI :  Four people, including a woman government official and two young medical students, lost their lives in a road accident at Tetelia near Sonapur on Friday morning when the Bolero vehicle they were travelling in crashed into a parked truck. The victims, all residents of Arunachal Pradesh, died on the spot as a result of the impact of the severe collision. According to police, the Bolero, bearing Arunachal Pradesh registration and carrying a government plate identifying it as a vehicle associated with the Government of Arunachal Pradesh, was travelling towards Guwahati when it rammed into the rear of a truck parked along the roadside under Khetri Police Station limits near Sonapur. The deceased have been identified as Lingi Barsa, who was a doctor and was driving the vehicle, his wife Kunga Dolma, an official of the Arunachal Pradesh Food and Civil Supplies Department, their son, and his friend, both of whom were medical students. Providing details of the incident, Ankur Jain, Joint Commissioner of Police, said that the family had started their journey from Itanagar at around 6 am and was headed towards Guwahati. “The accident occurred under Khetri Police Station jurisdiction where a truck was parked near the roadside. A Bolero with Arunachal Pradesh registration crashed into the truck at high speed. All four occupants died in the collision. The driver, Lingi Barsa, and his wife, Kunga Dolma, their son and his friend were among the dead. Barsa had booked accommodation at Arunachal Bhawan in Guwahati, and the family had begun their journey from Itanagar early in the morning,” Jain said. Police officials investigating the accident said preliminary findings suggest that excessive speed may have been a major factor behind the crash. Investigators found no visible skid marks or signs of emergency braking at the scene. “When we examined the accident site, we found no indication that the driver had attempted to brake before impact. Eyewitnesses estimated that the vehicle was travelling at around 120 kmph. Based on the available evidence, we suspect that the driver may have fallen asleep while driving, though the exact cause will be determined after a detailed investigation,” Jain added. Meanwhile, questions were raised over the presence of the truck on the roadside. However, traffic police maintained that the vehicle had been parked outside the designated carriageway and that authorities had already directed it to be moved as part of an ongoing statewide enforcement drive against roadside parking. Jayanta Sarathi Bora, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), said that police had instructed the truck driver to remove the vehicle before the accident occurred. “The truck in question had already been identified by our personnel during an enforcement drive against roadside parking. Around 10:45 am, the concerned officer had directed the driver to move the vehicle. We are conducting similar drives not only in Guwahati but across Assam to prevent unsafe roadside parking. Preliminary findings indicate that the truck was parked outside the white line marking on the road,” Bora said. Police have launched a detailed investigation into the incident to ascertain all circumstances surrounding the tragedy. (Source: PTI)    

REGIONAL

Truck driver shot dead as suspected militants fire on convoy of vehicles in Manipur’s Ukhrul

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IMPHAL : A truck driver was killed when suspected militants fired at a convoy of vehicles in Manipur’s Ukhrul district on Friday, police said. “A joint team of security forces, including BSF, CRPF and police were escorting some 15 to 20 commercial trucks towards Ukhrul district when they came under attack near TM Kasom from suspected militants, killing a truck driver at the spot”, an officer said. Security forces also fired back, leading to a brief exchange of fire. The identity of the deceased is yet to be determined, the officer said. The incident happened some 6 km from Shangkai village, where protesters blocked roads, forcing security forces to fire several tear gas shells to disperse the agitators on Friday morning. Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh on Wednesday had met representatives of the Manipur Truck Owners’ Welfare Association, to discuss the law and order situation on the National Highways and the movement of goods transport. The CM had said that “The government is committed to ensuring the safe and smooth movement of transport vehicles and keeping the National Highways free from all hindrances. Two civilians, including a retired Army soldier, were shot dead by suspected militants on April 18 last in an ambush near TM Kasom village. (Source: PTI)    

REGIONAL

Tipra Motha MLA writes to Shah, urges him to stop infiltration in Tripura

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AGARTALA : Tipra Motha Party MLA Ranjit Debbarma on Friday wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging him to detect, detain and deport illegal immigrants from Tripura. In a letter to Shah, he said the illegal immigrant issue is “highly vulnerable and dangerous” to the internal security and sovereignty of the country, and sought the Centre’s intervention for implementing the Inner Line Permit for those coming from outside the state. “Illegal foreigners have been entering the state, taking the opportunity of weak administration and the direct and indirect help of dishonest political leaders and officials,” he said. Debbarma claimed that most of the illegal migrants have been going to several states and creating disturbances there after they entered India through the international border in Tripura. “Some illegal migrants work for their livelihood, but some are involved in terror activities,” the TMP legislator alleged. Debbarma claimed that infiltrators are changing the demographic structure of the bordering state, creating unemployment and land-related problems, and indulging in cross-border crime. “It is a matter of great sorrow that no government machinery in the northeastern state has worked on such a sensitive issue of illegal migrants. I have written to the Centre and the state government to implement the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the bordering state to check infiltration, but no action has been taken yet,” the legislator said. He lauded the Centre for forming a high-powered committee on the infiltration issue, and termed it as a “timely step to maintain law and order and internal security”. Debbarma also sought to meet the union home minister during his proposed visit to the state on June 5. “Kindly allow me a specific time in Agartala on June 5 for making a representation verbally with relevant documents on this severe issue of illegal immigrants so that National Register of Citizens, Inner Line Permit, Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 can be implemented in the state to secure the border,” he added. (Source: PTI)    

REGIONAL

Zubeen Garg death: Gauhati HC denies bail to key accused Shyamkanu Mahanta

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GUWAHATI ; The Gauhati High Court on Friday rejected bail to Shyamkanu Mahanta, the prime accused in the Zubeen Garg death case, noting that there is a “risk of fleeing and tampering evidence”. After hearing arguments from both sides, a single-judge bench of Justice Mitali Thakuria denied bail to the accused. On April 30, a special fast-track court had rejected bail to Mahanta considering him as ‘flight risk’. “The accused had challenged the trial court order of bail denial. The high court today rejected bail to Shyamkanu Mahanta after considering some crucial points,” Assam Advocate General Devajit Saikia said at a press conference here. The high court noted that Mahanta is a ‘flight risk’ and there is a possibility of him absconding from the ongoing trial, he said. “He had earlier erased all his mobile data. The prosecution worked hard to retrieve those. So, the high court viewed that there is a chance of tampering the evidence by him,” Saikia said. Besides, Mahanta is accused of also influencing his co-accused in the case, and the high court thought there is a chance of influencing the witness, too, Saikia said. Shyamkanu is the younger brother of former DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, who was also the Chief Information Commissioner of the Assam State Information Commission. Gauhati University VC Nani Gopal Mahanta, who was the Education Advisor to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, is another elder brother of him. On May 26, Special Fast-track Court Judge Sharmila Bhuyan framed charges against seven arrested accused in connection with the untimely demise of Assamese musician Zubeen Garg. The celebrated singer died under mysterious circumstances in Singapore on September 19 last year while swimming in the sea. He had gone to Singapore to attend the 4th edition of the North East India Festival (NEIF). NEIF chief organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, the singer’s manager Siddharth Sharma, his two band members Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amrit Prabha Mahanta, his cousin and Assam Police DSP Sandipan Garg, and his PSOs Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya are in jail as accused in the case. Prime accused Shyamkanu Mahanta has been charged with eight different sections of the BNS, while seven charges were framed against Sharma. Goswami and Amrit Prabha will face six charges each, Bora and Baishya will face two charges each, and Garg will defend himself against one charge. They were booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for murder, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, criminal conspiracy and causing death by negligence. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Assam Police probed Garg’s death case after more than 60 FIRs were lodged across the state. However, the Singapore Police Force, which carried out a separate probe, concluded that there was no evidence of foul play in the case. A Coroner’s Court in Singapore had also said that the popular Indian singer-songwriter was severely intoxicated, and had drowned off the Lazarus Island after declining a life jacket. Authorities in Assam asserted that it would not impact the case here in any manner. (Source: PTI)    

REGIONAL

Bruce Lee’s ‘Enter the Dragon’ film inspired me to pursue Taekwondo: Manipur CM

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IMPHAL : Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh said that actor Bruce Lee’s ‘Enter the Dragon’ movie inspired him to pursue Taekwondo. Speaking at a Manipuri film event on Thursday evening, Singh said, “I want to place that cinemas can motivate humans. A simple story is that in 1978/79, when Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon movie came out, it motivated me. I even went to Lucknow and learnt Taekwondo.” Singh also assured all possible assistance for the development of Manipuri films. The 63-year-old has been practising the martial arts form since the age of 16. Apart from politics, he has had a long association with Taekwondo. A black belt holder, he is a former vice-president of the Taekwondo Federation of India and has been involved in the promotion of the sport in the Northeast. He also founded the All Assam Taekwondo Association in 1982. (Source: PTI)              

Readers Forum

The Silent Flaw in APPSCCE – Unmoderated Optional Marks

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Esteemed Editor, While the debate over the 80:20 ratio in Arunachal Pradesh’s state competitive examinations continues to dominate public discourse, a far more insidious inequity quietly undermines the integrity of the APPSCCE — the complete absence of moderation or scaling of optional subject marks. The optional papers, carrying 500 marks (two papers of 250 each), are supposed to offer candidates a level playing field. The results of APPSCCE 2024, however, revealed a stark and troubling discrepancy. Optional subjects such as Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Agriculture, Anthropology, Public Administration, Economics, Botany, etc. recorded significantly high average marks, while candidates who chose Sociology, Geography, and Political Science & International Relations (PSIR) etc. received considerably lower marks in comparison. This wide gap — across subjects of equivalent weightage — makes it evident that what was being measured was not just candidate performance, but also the varying standards of examiners across disciplines. Candidates who scored high in their optional subjects deserve every bit of their success — they performed well, and their marks reflect that. But the concern is not with them. The concern is with those equally capable candidates in other optional subjects who also performed well, yet did not receive marks that truly reflected their effort and ability — not because they wrote poorly, but because the examiners assessing their papers operated on a different and stricter standard. This is where the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission has fallen short. In the absence of any statistical moderation or scaling mechanism, examiner subjectivity goes unchecked. The result is that a candidate’s final rank is shaped not just by how well they performed, but by which optional subject they chose — an element entirely outside their control. Equally important is the need for proper orientation and standardisation of the examiners appointed to evaluate these papers. The Commission must ensure that the teachers and academics selected to check answer scripts are of comparable expertise and experience across all subjects. A structured orientation process before the Mains would help align marking standards and significantly reduce the kind of examiner-to-examiner variance that currently disadvantages sincere candidates. This issue receives little public attention because it does not cut across all communities uniformly. But the absence of noise does not diminish the injustice. The goal of moderation is not to pull down those who scored well — it is to ensure that those who also deserved high marks actually receive them. With the Preliminary Examination scheduled for September 6, and the Mains still approximately three to four months away, the Commission has a meaningful window to act. I urge the APPSC to introduce subject-wise moderation or percentile-based scaling for optional marks, and to put in place a rigorous examiner standardisation process before the Mains — in line with best practices followed by the UPSC and other state commissions. I also call upon civil society, student organisations, and legislators of Arunachal Pradesh to take cognisance of this silent but deeply damaging inequity.   Yours sincerely, An Aggrieved Aspirant  

Editorial

In West Bengal, a few early fractures

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West Bengal’s new Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, led by Suvendu Adhikari, has started with a series of contentious administrative decisions. It has renamed or repackaged some of the welfare schemes launched by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government and introduced central schemes that the previous government had kept at bay. It has also resumed the stalled national census exercise. Governments reversing and revising the decisions of outgoing administrations is not unusual practice. But the divisive tones in some of the other moves are striking. The new government has directed district authorities to set up “holding centres” for apprehended foreign nationals and released foreign prisoners. It argues that the move aligns with its promise to identify and deport illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. Some of these centres have started functioning. Adhikari said Bangladeshi immigrants detained in the state would be handed directly to the Border Security Force (BSF) for deportation, instead of being produced before courts. This is considered adherence to the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, which imposes penalties on illegal immigrants and other offenders. However, handing over suspected immigrants to the BSF without following due process raises legal and humanitarian concerns. Assam Police has deported bona fide citizens to Bangladesh in a similar fashion. Stripped of the officialese of “deportation,” the process involves pushing people across the border. Notably, Bangladeshi authorities have also pushed many of these people back into India. Such arbitrary actions may find endorsement among some sections, but they go against the basic principles of law and humanity. There seems to be a contest among BJP chief ministers, especially the converted ones like Adhikari and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, regarding anti-Muslim actions and rhetoric. The government has stopped all welfare assistance based on religious classification and allowances managed by the Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education Department. It has mandated the rendition of Vande Mataram during morning assemblies at madrasas. No one should be forced into acts that are against their religious beliefs. The government should not act like unruly elements imposing religious symbolism and practices on other communities. Celebrations following the BJP’s electoral win saw some meat shops in the New Market area of Kolkata being razed down. On May 15, the Calcutta High Court stayed the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC)’s bulldozer action on allegedly illegal structures in the city’s Muslim-majority Topsia neighbourhood. From Adhikari’s words, before and after his party’s historic mandate in the state, what is seen now may only be the beginning. (Source: DH)  

Latest News, Popular News, State News

APIYO’s 24-hour shutdown amid Eid draws mixed response

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ITANAGAR : Normal life remained disrupted across the Itanagar Capital Region (ICR) on Thursday following a 24-hour bandh called by the Arunachal Pradesh Indigenous Youth Organisation (APIYO) over issues related to alleged illegal migrants and unauthorised structures in the state. The shutdown, which began at 5 am on Thursday and is scheduled to continue till 5 am on May 29, affected vehicular movement, business establishments and routine public activities in several parts of the capital region, including Itanagar and Naharlagun. APIYO stated that the bandh was called to press for action against allegedly illegal structures and suspected undocumented migrants residing in the state. The organisation claimed it has been raising the issue since 2023 as part of efforts to safeguard the demographic interests and indigenous identity of Arunachal Pradesh. APIYO president Taro Sonam Liyak said the organisation had repeatedly urged the government to identify and deport alleged illegal Bangladeshi migrants and had also questioned the legality of certain mosques and madrasas in areas of the Nirjuli-Naharlagun belt. “We have been asking the government to identify and deport alleged illegal Bangladeshi migrants. We have also been questioning the legality of mosques and madrasas in certain areas. The government’s inaction compelled us to call the shutdown,” he said. The bandh coincided with Eid celebrations, drawing criticism from several quarters, with many alleging that the timing of the protest indirectly affected members of the Muslim community observing the festival. Due to the shutdown, many families in the capital region reportedly remained indoors during the celebrations. Rejecting allegations of targeting any particular religious community, APIYO maintained that the agitation was solely focused on issues related to illegal migration and demographic concerns. Meanwhile, the Capital administration termed the bandh “illegal and unlawful” and imposed restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, citing Supreme Court observations against forced shutdowns and disruption of public life. Deputy Inspector General of Police (Capital Region) Tumme Amo appealed to the public to reject “bandh culture” and continue normal activities under police protection. Police officials informed that a few individuals linked to the bandh were apprehended as a preventive measure. However, no incidents of violence were reported during the shutdown.              

Latest News, Popular News, State News

Arunachal can lead sustainable development model: Wangsu

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YAZALI : Arunachal Pradesh Agriculture and Allied Departments Minister Gabriel D Wangsu on Thursday said Arunachal Pradesh has the potential to emerge as a national model for sustainable and community-driven development, while inaugurating the two-day Arunachal Pradesh Jaiv Vividhata and Mvm Liid Soonam/Beej Utsav 2026 at Government Higher Secondary School, Yazali in Keyi Panyor district. The programme, which also included a stakeholder consultation on biohappiness and climate resilience, was jointly organised by the 16th Yachuli MLA Office, Krishi Vigyan Kendra Keyi Panyor, Arunachal State Rural Livelihoods Mission and the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai. Addressing farmers, scientists, researchers, policymakers and indigenous community representatives from across the state, Wangsu said the answers to sustainable development already exist within Arunachal Pradesh’s traditional knowledge systems and farming practices. “The world is searching for sustainable models of development, and the answers already exist in Arunachal Pradesh,” he said. Highlighting the growing impact of climate change on agriculture, the Minister said erratic rainfall, shorter winters and increasing floods are adversely affecting farmers and rural communities. He stressed that indigenous rice varieties and traditional crops preserved by local farmers over generations are naturally adapted to local ecosystems and are crucial for future food security and climate resilience. “Losing these traditional crops would not only be a cultural loss, but also a serious threat to our future food security and resilience,” he said. Calling for collective action, Wangsu said biodiversity conservation and climate resilience cannot be achieved through government efforts alone. “Community participation is the key because no government alone can protect biodiversity, and no scientist alone can conserve seeds,” he remarked, urging villages, panchayat institutions, youth groups and farming communities to actively participate in conservation initiatives. The Minister also welcomed increasing awareness on the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act and appreciated efforts to secure intellectual property rights protection for 12 indigenous paddy varieties from Lower Subansiri district. Describing quality seeds as the foundation of agricultural transformation, Wangsu stressed the need to strengthen seed villages, community seed banks, local seed certification systems, cold storage infrastructure and farmer-led seed production systems across the state. He further highlighted the role of women in preserving agrobiodiversity, describing them as the “true custodians of biodiversity” in tribal communities. Encouraging greater youth participation in agriculture, Wangsu urged young people to view the sector as a modern and innovative profession linked to sustainability, entrepreneurship, food processing, eco-tourism and digital marketing. “Our young people must see agriculture not as a last option, but as a meaningful profession that connects livelihood with sustainability,” he said. Reaffirming the commitment of the state government under Chief Minister Pema Khandu, the Minister said the state is working closely with premier institutions and stakeholders to promote climate resilience and sustainable development suited to the ecological conditions of the Northeast. A major attraction of the programme was the Arunachal Seed Festival and Agrobiodiversity and Sustainable Livelihoods Exhibition, where community seed conservers, particularly from the Nyishi and Apatani communities, showcased indigenous crop varieties, traditional farming practices and biodiversity-based livelihood models. The inaugural programme was attended by 16th Yachuli MLA Toko Tatung, M S Swaminathan Research Foundation Chairperson Dr Soumya Swaminathan, architect Rajeev Sethi, Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority Guwahati Dr Atul Chandra Sharma, Keyi Panyor Deputy Commissioner Shweta Nagarkoti Mehta, M S Swaminathan Research Foundation Biodiversity Programme Director Dr E D Israel Oliver King, representatives from NABARD, Rajiv Gandhi University, Indian Council of Agricultural Research institutions and farmers from different districts.

Latest News, Popular News, State News

Karandlaje reviews developmental initiatives in Siang

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BOLENG : Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Labour and Employment Shobha Karandlaje on Thursday reviewed ongoing developmental activities and public service delivery in Siang district during a visit to Boleng and Pangin circle. The Minister chaired a review meeting at the Conference Hall of Circuit House, Boleng, in the presence of Siang Deputy Commissioner Tayi Taggu, administrative officers, heads of departments and officials from the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Labour Departments. During the meeting, the district administration presented an overview of Siang district, highlighting key developmental initiatives and proposed interventions. Addressing the officials, Karandlaje offered suggestions aimed at strengthening developmental activities and improving delivery of public services across the district. Following the meeting, the Minister inspected several ongoing projects and beneficiary-oriented schemes in Boleng, including a brick fabrication unit functioning under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana, a Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) beneficiary housing unit and the District Hospital at Boleng. Karandlaje later visited Moli and Moruk villages under Pangin circle, where she was received by villagers, Panchayati Raj Institution leaders and district officials. During the visit, she inspected Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural) beneficiary houses, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act works, an open-air gym and water tank infrastructure developed under the Jal Jeevan Mission. The Union Minister also interacted with beneficiaries and villagers and reviewed the implementation of various developmental programmes in the area, reaffirming the Centre’s commitment to grassroots development and public welfare. (DIPR)