REGIONAL

IMPHAL, OCT 27: CRPF Director General Gyanendra Pratap Singh on Tuesday reviewed operational preparedness at Group Centre Imphal and directed officers and ground commanders to ensure peace and security in their operational commands. In a social media post, the CRPF said the head of the force received a guard of honour at Quarter Guard and later held a review meeting with senior officers and ground commanders. “In a high-level review with senior officers and ground commanders, he issued firm directives to ensure peace and security across respective operational commands”, it said. Later, Singh met with Assam Rifles DG Lt Gen Vikas Lakhera and held an operational review meeting. In a post on X, Assam Rifles said the meeting was “attended by senior officers of both forces, and focused on strengthening inter-force coordination, reviewing the prevailing security situation, enhancing joint operational preparedness and reinforcing collective efforts to maintain peace, stability and public order across the state.” (Source: PTI)  

KOHIMA, OCT 27: The Congress on Tuesday alleged discrepancies involving 1,57,752 voter entries in Nagaland and accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of misusing institutions, weakening public-sector assets and pursuing policies that, it claimed, were undermining the country’s economic interests. Addressing a press conference at Congress Bhavan here, AICC observers Pranav Shagotra and Banna Gupta, along with Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) president and Lok Sabha MP S Supongmeren Jamir, called for greater transparency in the electoral process and verification of voter records under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The AICC observers are in the state to examine voter-list discrepancies as part of the Congress’s nationwide exercise. Jamir said the state had 13,57,208 voters, while records available with the Election Department accounted for 11,99,456, leaving a difference of 1,57,752. He said the difference had been attributed to several categories, including untraceable voters, permanent migration, deceased voters, duplicate or already-enrolled entries and other reasons. The department was conducting further verification, including house-to-house visits, to determine whether the entries had been removed on valid grounds, he added. Citing figures presented by the party, Shagotra said 7,900 voter entries in Mokokchung, 11,513 in Zunheboto, 6,547 in Kiphire, 3,325 in Longleng and 9,032 in Tuensang had been categorised as untraceable or deleted. He alleged that discrepancies in electoral rolls across the country could affect election outcomes, particularly in smaller states where victory margins were often narrow. He also accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of failing to ensure transparency, alleging that electronic voter lists had initially not been provided despite requests from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. He said access to digital records would facilitate the identification of duplicate entries and deleted names. The Congress had deployed observers across districts to compare available records and establish the reasons for the discrepancies, he said, adding that the party would submit its findings to the AICC. Gupta called for Kumar’s removal and alleged that central agencies, including the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate, were being used for political purposes. On the SIR exercise, Gupta said voter verification was necessary to remove duplicate entries and update records of deceased or permanently shifted voters, but alleged that the process risked excluding eligible voters in some parts of the country. NPCC working president Khriedi Theunuo urged eligible voters to ensure their names were included in the electoral rolls. Referring to an Election Office communication issued on October 12, he said the authorities had stated that no eligible voter should be left out. (Source: PTI)  

GUWAHATI, OCT 27: A day after five people were shot dead at a hotel here, the bereaved family on Tuesday said it was a planned murder, and the prime accused had gathered the victims there on the pretext of discussing lease renewal and pending dues. The shooting happened around 9 pm on Monday at Hotel Bilas Inn on the arterial GS Road, about 2 km from the Assam Police headquarters, following a dispute between the owner of the property and its leaseholder. The accused and leaseholder of the property, Ghanakanta Gogoi, was apprehended within the hour from the Paltan Bazar area. Dilip Bharali, the elder brother of victims Bhudeb and Helena, demanded stringent and exemplary punishment for the killer. Helena’s son and daughter-in-law, Debarshi and Rinki, and family staffer, Narayan Das, were also killed in the incident. A driver of the Bharali family, Satyen Pathak, was also injured in the shooting. Speaking to reporters here, Dilip Bharali said Gogoi had convened a meeting with the family, which owns the hotel, to discuss pending dues and renewal of the lease. Gogoi had taken the hotel on lease more than a year ago, but payments were pending for several months, and the lease agreement was also due for renewal, Bharali said. “Gogoi had called us all for the meeting. Bhudeb attended it, but I couldn’t as I was involved in the affairs of a local puja committee.” “It appears that Gogoi had planned the attack. He didn’t miss a single shot,” Bharali claimed. He said, “We are simple businessmen. We don’t support any violence. I urge the government to ensure that the most stringent punishment is meted out to the accused so that no one dares to commit such a crime in future.” (Source: PTI)  

IMPHAL, OCT 27: Union Minister of State for Coal and Mines Satish Chandra Dubey, during a meeting in Manipur’s Senapati district, highlighted the progress of infrastructure development in the Northeast, particularly the expansion of National Highways and improvements in railway connectivity across the region. A Manipur government official said on Tuesday that the Central minister observed that connectivity had long been a major challenge in the Northeast region but noted that significant improvements were now becoming visible. Dubey held a meeting with Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Tuesday and discussed various matters. “We held a fruitful discussion on matters pertaining to the development of the state,” the Chief Minister said in a post on X. The Union Minister visited Naga-inhabited Senapati district on Monday and chaired a review meeting on the implementation of various Central government schemes at the Deputy Commissioner’s Conference Hall. During the meeting, Dubey reviewed the progress and implementation of various Central government flagship programmes and schemes in the district. Key issues relating to the progress of ongoing projects, implementation challenges, and public grievances were also discussed. Officials from various departments, including District Administration, Police, Forest, Health, DRDA, PWD, PHED, CAF&PD, MSRLM, and MSPDCL, briefed the Minister on their respective activities, achievements, and ongoing initiatives. Addressing the meeting, the Central Minister emphasised the importance of building a self-reliant and stronger India by 2047, marking 100 years of the country’s Independence. He urged government officials and citizens to enhance their skills, discharge their responsibilities efficiently, and contribute meaningfully towards the nation’s overall development. The Minister further stressed the importance of reviewing developmental activities at the grassroots level to ensure the effective implementation of government schemes and assess their actual impact on beneficiaries. He urged all District Level Officers to accord priority to the proper implementation of various schemes under their respective departments and agencies, with particular emphasis on ensuring that the intended benefits reach the people. Minister Dubey also encouraged the officers to submit constructive suggestions in a systematic manner so that these could be forwarded to the appropriate authorities for consideration and necessary follow-up action. He highlighted the importance of engaging with relevant stakeholders, including NITI Aayog, to facilitate the effective examination and implementation of such suggestions. Following the review meeting, the Minister visited the District Hospital, Senapati, to assess its overall status and inspect the ongoing construction of the Super Speciality Ward. He reviewed the progress of the project and took stock of the healthcare infrastructure and developmental works at the hospital. The meeting was attended by Senapati district’s Deputy Commissioner Dharun Kumar S, senior officials and representatives of various departments. (Source: IANS)    

GUWAHATI, OCT 26: A new flower species has been discovered in Assam’s Manas National Park, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday. He said the discovery of new flower and animal species in the state in recent times bears testimony to the government’s “priority to nature conservation”. “This is Osbeckia assamensis, a new flower species discovered in Assam’s Manas National Park,” Sarma said in a social media post, attaching a photograph of the flower. “If you follow my handle, you would have observed how frequently I share news of new plant, flower, animal species being discovered in our state,” he said. The government, as an extension of the society, has always taken nature conservation as a priority, and these findings are “a testament to the consistent work being done in this field”, the chief minister said. “Assam’s natural heritage has received another remarkable boost with the scientific identification of a new flowering plant species in Manas National Park,” State Environment and Forest Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah said. “Named Osbeckia assamensis, the newly described species adds to the documented floral diversity of one of the state’s most important natural landscapes, and highlights the scientific discoveries that continue to emerge from its grasslands,” he said in a social media post. He said that researchers Barnali Das and Namita Nath described the species in a study published in the botanical journal ‘Phytotaxa’ on October 22. Their findings followed extensive field surveys conducted between 2021 and 2025, during which the plant was recorded in scattered populations across the grasslands of Manas, the minister said. Belonging to the Melastomataceae family, Osbeckia assamensis is a perennial shrub that grows between 2 and 2.5 metres tall. It produces pink flowers measuring around 3 to 3.5 centimetres, with each flower cluster carrying approximately 30 to 35 flowers. “The plant flowers and fruits between September and February, adding colour to the park’s natural landscape during these months,” Mallabaruah said. The researchers established its distinct identity through detailed examination of its physical characteristics and comparisons with related species, he said. The first reference specimen was collected in Manas on October 8, 2022, with another specimen documented in October 2025. “This discovery reminds us that our forests and grasslands are living repositories of biodiversity, holding botanical treasures that science is still uncovering,” Mallabaruah said. “By conserving Manas and supporting scientific research, we can continue to discover, understand and safeguard Assam’s extraordinary natural heritage,” the minister added. (Source: PTI)  

IMPHAL, OCT 26: Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh on Monday said his government will provide all possible assistance to the families of three persons who died in a recent gun attack, an official said. During the day, Singh met their family members at Nongshum in Imphal East district and expressed condolences. Three persons were gunned down by miscreants in Kangpokpi district on October 19, while they were collecting firewood at Sunurok area, police had said. An official statement said the CM assured their family members that the state government stands firmly with them, and all possible assistance will be extended to the kin of the deceased. Singh also interacted with representatives of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), which was constituted in connection with the incident, it said. Upon his return from Nongshum, the chief minister visited the private hospital in Imphal, where two of the injured in the attack, were undergoing treatment, the statement said. Singh directed the hospital authorities to provide the best medical care to the injured, it added. (Source: PTI)  

GUWAHATI, OCT 26: Assam BJP workers on Monday staged a demonstration in Guwahati in protest against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s controversial remarks targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Kharge had on Sunday sparked a controversy with his remarks “Modi ka baap bhi jayega”, in response to an audience member’s comment that “the PM would not go anywhere”. The incident took place while Kharge, who is also Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, was speaking at a programme in Patna to celebrate the 139th birth anniversary of Bihar’s first chief minister, Shrikrishna Singh. Scores of ruling party workers assembled in front of the Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex at Sarusajai here to protest against Kharge’s comments. Those who took part in the demonstration include Guwahati Metropolitan District president Tapan Das, MLA Rupak Sarma, Yuva Morcha president Rakesh Das, Mahila Morcha president Purabi Roy, Scheduled Caste Morcha president Nabarun Medhi and Kisan Morcha chief Pankaj Barbora. Slogans against the Congress and its leaders were also raised at the protest site. Addressing the workers, BJP leader Pradip Thakuria alleged that the Congress was “bereft of principles and misguided”. MLA Rupak Sarma, who is in charge of the Guwahati Metropolitan District, said the Congress president must tender an unconditional apology to the people of the country for his remarks. “If the Congress fails to do so, the BJP will intensify its agitation and launch a widespread public movement against the party,” he asserted. Assam BJP vice-president Ratna Singh said the Congress has become a “dispirited and politically alienated organisation, increasingly estranged from the people”. Ashok Bhattarai, another vice-president of the state unit, alleged that repeated electoral defeats have left the Congress leadership “disoriented and politically adrift”, prompting them to transgress all boundaries of decorum. (Source: PTI)  

IMPHAL, OCT 25: Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh on Sunday said the state could not achieve lasting peace as long as “gun culture” persisted, appealing to people to surrender illegal arms. Singh made the remarks during a visit to Sinai Camp, a designated camp for militants under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement in Kangpokpi district, according to an official statement. The camp was recently taken over by the CRPF following joint operations involving its CoBRA unit, police and other security forces in the aftermath of the killing of three firewood collectors near Nongshum in Imphal East district. During the operation, 17 people allegedly impersonating SoO cadres using false identities were found at the camp. The facility was supposed to accommodate around 150 cadres, the statement said. Sinai Camp was a designated camp of the Kuki National Army (KNA) and the Kuki Liberation Army (KLA), both signatories to the SoO agreement. The statement described Singh’s visit as the first by a sitting chief minister to a designated SoO camp. Upon his arrival, Singh inspected the camp premises and was briefed by CRPF and Assam Rifles officers on the operations and the prevailing law and order situation in the area. Interacting with senior security officers and personnel, the chief minister commended the CRPF’s CoBRA battalion for its role in the operation that led to the camp coming under the security forces’ control. He stressed that adequate care must be taken to ensure that innocent civilians were not affected during combing operations. Security personnel were there to protect people’s lives and property, he said. Singh stressed that Manipur could not progress or achieve lasting peace as long as gun culture prevailed. He appealed to people to renounce violence, surrender illegal weapons and work together to restore peace and harmony in the state. The chief minister later interacted with civil society organisation (CSO) representatives and villagers in the area. (Source: PTI)  

GUWAHATI, OCT 25: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday described the simultaneous anti-narcotics raids across Assam, Manipur and Mizoram as a major blow to an international drug cartel, asserting that the crackdown would continue until the menace was eradicated by 2029. The Assam CM said central and state governments in the Northeast were firm on tackling the menace and achieving the goal of a ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat’ (drug-free India). “This is a huge blow to the international drugs cartel! Operation Trident, carried out across Assam, Manipur and Mizoram, has unearthed a huge drugs and hawala nexus operating in the region,” Sarma said in a social media post. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said agencies conducted simultaneous raids at 38 locations across Assam, Mizoram and Manipur, leading to the arrest of 18 people and the freezing of 1,424 bank accounts. Shah hailed Operation Trident, conducted on Friday to dismantle an international narcotics cartel allegedly operating across India, Myanmar and Bangladesh. “India will hammer until the last nail is driven into the coffin of drug cartels,” he said. Shah said the network trafficked narcotics across the borders of India, Myanmar and Bangladesh through the ‘Death Triangle Corridor’. (Source: PTI)  

GUWAHATI, OCT 25: A collective endeavour by 14 farmers in Golaghat district, which has grown into a community-driven group with around 1,500 members and supplies organic produce to overseas markets, has been selected for this year’s third-highest civilian award of the Assam government. The Padumpathar Agro Organic Producers Company Limited, a Farmer Producer Company (FPC), is among the recipients of the ‘Assam Gaurav Award 2026’, which was announced on Friday. “From an initial group of approximately 14 farmers, we have grown into a network of around 1,500 farmer-shareholders, cultivating approximately 1,500 acres,” Sanjit Biswakarma, among the directors of the company, said on Sunday. “Our company exemplifies how community participation, agricultural knowledge and market-oriented planning can help build a rural enterprise,” he added. The initiative began in 2009-2010, when around 14 farmers came together under the banner of the Padumpathar Sagarmatha Agricultural Service Group (ASG), with guidance from the agriculture department and the district agricultural office in Golaghat. As the initiative progressed, the farmers established the Padumpathar Organic Growers Society, a Farmers’ Interest Group (FIG). With growing awareness of organic cultivation and its commercial potential, the society expanded to approximately 50 members, who cultivated around 50 acres of land. A major milestone came on August 24, 2017, when Padumpathar Agro Organic Producers Company Limited was incorporated, Biswakarma said. Its establishment was associated with the Central government’s Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER), a programme aimed at promoting organic production, developing value chains and improving market access for farmers in the region. Biswakarma highlighted that the expansion brought a large number of farmers under a common institutional framework, creating opportunities to improve agricultural knowledge, strengthen market linkages and explore value-added products. He said the company focuses on agricultural products such as ginger, turmeric and Assam lemon, combining cultivation with processing and marketing to enhance the commercial value of local produce. Beyond selling raw agricultural products, the company has undertaken value-addition activities, including processing selected produce into powder and packaging it for sale, chairman Anjal Limbu said. He added that the products have reached markets in approximately 17 Indian states, with exports to Dubai and Saudi Arabia. The company has participated in agricultural events in Germany and Italy, besides exhibitions across India, Limbu added. Limbu maintained that a defining feature of the company’s development has been its effort to move beyond the sale of raw agricultural produce. “Processing, packaging, branding and distribution have become important components of our business approach. Value addition can help agricultural enterprises differentiate their products, improve market access and develop locally based agro-processing activities,” he said. The chairman expressed gratitude to the state government for the recognition, describing it as validation for the efforts of the farmers and their hard work for over a decade now. “The recognition will encourage us to further strengthen the farmer network, expand our product portfolio, improve processing and marketing capabilities, and explore new market opportunities,” Limbu added. (Source: PTI)