REGIONAL

IMPHAL : Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Sunday inspected the progress of the construction works at the proposed extension campus of Manipur Technical University in Thoubal district and promised the local administration all possible help to expedite the project. During the inspection, he instructed the chief engineer of the Public Works Department to pave the 6-km road connecting the campus with the National Highway 102. The vice chancellor of Manipur Technical University told the chief minister that they want to start some classes in the extension campus from this academic session, starting from July-August. Singh visited the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya of Thoubal district and interacted with the teachers and students. He then visited the community health centre at Heirok and reviewed the facilities there. Later, he inspected the women’s market at Heirok. (Source: PTI)  

GUWAHATI : Ten illegal immigrants from Bangladesh were prevented from entering India early on Saturday by joint efforts of the BSF and Assam Police, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. He asserted that detection and prevention were vital to ensure a secure Assam. “The strict vigil continues along our border. In the wee hours, @assampolice in coordination with @BSF_India identified and prevented the entry of 10 illegal infiltrators into Assam,” Sarma said in a social media post. He, however, did not mention the district where the infiltrators were detected. “Smart detection and immediate prevention are key to our vision of a Surakshit Assam,” the CM added. The state government has been cracking the whip on illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, pushing back infiltrators through its borders with the neighbouring nation. (Source: PTI)  

KOHIMA : Amid concerns over the prevailing law and order situation in a neighbouring state and the possibility of disturbances spilling over into Nagaland, the state police urged citizens to maintain peace, communal harmony and vigilance. Nagaland Director General of Police Rupin Sharma appealed to the people to act responsibly and refrain from sharing or forwarding any unverified information, rumours or provocative social media content that could create panic, misunderstanding or communal tension. In an appeal issued on Friday, the police cautioned against the spread of false and misleading narratives through social media, stating that in the age of artificially generated content, the creation and circulation of fake information has become easier and more dangerous. The advisory came amid search operations being conducted in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district to rescue those who are still being held hostage by armed groups. Thirty-one of around 38 people belonging to the Kuki and Naga communities, who were held in captivity by armed groups in Kangpokpi and Senapati districts in Manipur, were released on May 14 and 15. These people were taken to undisclosed locations after suspected militants shot dead three church leaders and injured four others in Kangpokpi on May 13, while a civilian was gunned down and his wife was wounded in Noney district in the neighbouring state. Citizens have also been urged not to react emotionally to developments outside Nagaland and to avoid being influenced by rumours or provocative narratives circulating online. The Nagaland Police assured that the situation is being closely monitored and that all necessary measures are in place to maintain law and order in the state. It emphasised that public cooperation remains essential in ensuring continued peace and stability. Citizens have been advised to exercise utmost caution while consuming or sharing online content, especially material capable of disturbing ethnic and inter-community relations in the state, the Nagaland Police statement said. The police also warned that individuals deliberately spreading fake news, rumours or inflammatory content through social media or other platforms would face legal action under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Information Technology Act and other applicable laws. The advisory also called upon the public to remain alert and immediately report on any suspicious individuals or activities attempting to disturb the prevailing social harmony and peaceful coexistence among communities in Nagaland. Reiterating that Nagaland has maintained peace and normalcy despite tensions in neighbouring provinces, the police appealed for cooperation from all sections of society to preserve harmony in the state. (Source: PTI)    

GUWAHATI : An Assam Civil Service (ACS) officer has been arrested on graft charges and over Rs 1.66 crore in cash and fixed deposits worth another Rs 86 lakh have been seized, along with other investment documents, a police officer said on Saturday. The accused, Lachit Kumar Das, posted as additional director, Land Records, Guwahati, was apprehended by sleuths of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, acting on a complaint alleging that the officer had demanded a bribe for issuing an NOC for land sale permission. The police officer said Das had allegedly demanded Rs 1 lakh as bribe for issuing the No Objection Certification (NOC), and unwilling to pay the money, the complainant approached the Vigilance Directorate. A trap was laid by the Vigilance sleuths on Thursday at the ACS officer’s Guwahati office and he was caught red-handed in his chamber while accepting Rs 45,000 as part of the demanded bribe, the officer said. A case has been registered by the directorate. After his apprehension, Vigilance sleuths conducted searches in his two houses in Guwahati. During the first search operation, Rs 48.38 lakh in cash was retrieved from a locker inside one house and fixed deposits amounting to Rs 80 lakh in the names of the officer and his family members were seized. “Several general life insurance policies, postal life insurance policies in the names of him and his family members were found. Several bank accounts and documents of landed property have also been found, and analysis of these is underway,” the police officer added. The directorate, in a social media post, said, another search was conducted in another house of Das on Friday, and over Rs 1.18 crore in cash was seized. “On 22-05-2026, a team of @DIR_VAC_ASSAM again conducted a search in another house of Lachit Kumar Das, ACS, ADLR located at Queen’s Garden, Ranibagan, Beltola and recovered cash Rs. 1,18,30,000/- & some land related documents,” it said. (Source: PTI)    

GUWAHATI/NORTH LAKHIMPUR : Rupamoni Gorh has become the first woman from Assam to scale Mount Everest, achieving the feat as part of an all-women expedition team of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday. Gorh, a resident of Lilabari in Lakhimpur district, reached the summit of the world’s highest peak on Thursday. Sarma said the state was proud of her historic accomplishment. “Assam’s daughter has reached the top of the world. Heartiest congratulations to Rupamoni Gorh for becoming the first woman from Assam to scale Mount Everest as part of the ITBP all-women expedition team,” he said in a social media post. “Her historic feat is a moment of immense pride for Assam and an inspiration for our youth to dream big and conquer new heights,” he added. Born into a farmer’s family, Gorh grew up in Lilabari with modest means. Her father, Joysing Gorh, is engaged in agriculture, while her mother, Kamalawati, works as an Anganwadi assistant. A graduate in Arts, she joined the ITBP in 2020 and continued to pursue her childhood passion for adventure and mountaineering, her family said. (Source: PTI)          

IMPHAL : Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh on Friday appealed to the people of the state to come forward for talks and not to resort to bandhs or blockades. Singh was speaking at the inauguration of a bridge at Akham Makha Leikai in Imphal West district. Addressing a gathering, Singh said, “Enforcing bandhs and blockades out of anger toward the government only leads to hardship, particularly for the daily wage earners.” He also said, “I have been to Jiribam twice. First, I visited the district by helicopter and second by road, during which members of Kuki, Paite, Hmar and Meiteis gathered together at the grassroots level and interacted. All are having cordial relations.” “The day after I returned from Jiribam, a bomb attack at Tronglaobi in Bishnupur district killed two small children in April cauing much grief to all of us. The incident caused disruptions to the economy of the state due to shutdowns and bandhs,” he said. Singh appealed, “To the people to come forward for talks to reach a mutual understanding whenever there is any frustration or anger towards the government, as bandhs cause hardships, particularly to families of daily wage earners.” Later, in a social media post, Singh said “I am pleased to inaugurate the RCC Bridge over the Nambul River at Akham Mayai Leikai in Lamsang Assembly Constituency today, in the esteemed presence of MLA Lamsang AC S Rajen Singh.” He also said, this vital infrastructure project will strengthen connectivity between key areas, facilitate the movement of people and goods, support local markets, and contribute to economic growth and inclusive development. “The government remains steadfast in its commitment to enhancing road connectivity and building quality infrastructure for the welfare and progress of the people of Manipur”, he added. (Source: PTI)    

GUWAHATI : Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya on Friday outlined the new government’s vision for the state for the next five years in his first address in the 16th state Assembly amidst an opposition walkout, alleging failure of the dispensation to address core issues of the people. Barely five minutes into the Governor’s speech on the second day of the session, Congress and Raijor Dal MLAs trooped into the Well of the House. They demanded that the government address core issues like inflation rather than dwelling on achievements. The Congress legislators also displayed placards and raised slogans before staging a walkout. The two Raijor Dal MLAs, led by their leader, Akhil Gogoi, remained in the House initially and continued to speak even as the governor delivered his speech. After about 30 minutes, the two Raijor Dal MLAs also walked out, after submitting a paper with the points raised by them. The governor, in his speech, said the return of the BJP-led NDA government for a third successive time was a testimony to people’s support for the vision of the ruling dispensation. “This mandate reflects the people’s endorsement of peace, economic stability and inclusive development pursued over the past ten years. The achievements in restoring peace have been substantial and historic,” he said. He appealed to the people to exercise restraint in discretionary spending in line with the Prime Minister’s appeal for austerity. Acharya welcomed the government’s decision to introduce the proposed law regarding the Uniform Civil Code during the current session, maintaining that it will strengthen social harmony, justice, gender equality and a modern progressive society. (Source: PTI)    

AGARTALA : The Tripura government has cancelled the 26-day summer vacation in all the state-run colleges, including technical and professional institutions, an official said on Friday. The vacation was scheduled to commence on May 25. “In the interest of the students, summer vacation for 26 days for all colleges, technical and professional institutions under the department’s control, scheduled from May 26, is hereby withdrawn,” Higher Education Director Animesh Debbarma said in a notification. The colleges will remain open during the period for all academic activities like the admission process for session 2026-27, even semester examinations and administrative activities, it said. “Since the colleges will remain open and academic and administrative activities will be conducted during the summer vacation period, the faculty members and staff working in the colleges will receive 26 days of Earned Leave,” the notification said. According to Debbarma, the state government has already implemented the National Education Policy (NEP), which leaves little scope for summer vacation because the courses are now based on the semester system. “This is one of the major reasons for the cancellation of summer vacation”, he said. Currently, Tripura has 22 state-run general degree colleges. (Source: PTI)  

GUWAHATI : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday took oath as an MLA on the first day of the new assembly. Protem Speaker Chandra Mohan Patowary administered the oath to Sarma for the 16th Assam Legislative Assembly. Sarma took his oath in the Assamese language. Patowary said, “All the members can take an oath in any recognised language they wish to. They can submit their oath copies to the assembly office.” After the CM, the other MLAs have started taking oath in different languages such as Assamese, Bengali, Bodo and Sanskrit. The NDA, comprising the BJP, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), secured a sweeping mandate in the assembly polls, winning a record 102 seats in the 126-member House. The BJP alone bagged 82, while the AGP and BPF won 10 seats each. The Congress and Raijor Dal, who were part of a six-party opposition alliance, won 19 and two seats respectively. The AIUDF and Trinamool Congress fought as single entities and have two and one MLA, respectively. (Source: PTI)