REGIONAL

IMPHAL : Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh on Monday said his government is committed to strengthening the police force to maintain peace in the state that has witnessed ethic violence for about three years, and urged people to refrain from violent agitations. Speaking at an event on the occasion of flagging off 477 new vehicles for the state police, he asserted that it would be difficult to bring peace to Manipur without a strong police force. Singh said, “Manipur Police personnel took a big responsibility in controlling and preventing the violence in the state and even sacrificed their lives. Army, Assam Rifles, CRPF, BSF and all other security agencies also took equal responsibility in maintaining the law and order situation following the unfortunate violence in the state.” More than 260 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups since May 2023. The government is committed to providing “maximum support to strengthen the police force”, the CM said. “During an agitation following the killing of two children in a bomb attack at Tronglaobi in Bishnupur district, there had been instances when certain youths had targeted security forces, instead of pursuing peaceful rallies and engaging in talks. I appeal to all not to engage in violent activities,” the chief minister said. Later in a post on X, Singh said, “Flagged off 477 police vehicles at the 1st MR Parade Ground today in the presence of Home Minister K Govindas Singh, MLAs, Commissioner (Home) DGP, and senior police officials.” The vehicles procured for the Manipur Police are part of a scheme for the modernisation of police, he said. “Today is a historic moment for the state….This significant augmentation of police mobility and operational capacity will strengthen law enforcement and enhance public service delivery across the state,” he said. “The Government of Manipur remains firmly committed to equipping the police force with modern resources and infrastructure to ensure effective policing, public safety, and the maintenance of law and order,” he added. (Source: PTI)          

GUWAHATI : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said his government will set up a counter-radicalisation cell to “protect vulnerable youth from extremist influence”. He asserted that Assam will “give it back firmly” to anyone trying to mislead the youth of the state. “We will not allow any group or individual to mislead our youth and ruin their future by radicalising them. Assam will give it back firmly,” Sarma said in a post on X. A counter radicalisation cell will be established to protect vulnerable youth from extremist influence,” the chief minister said. Sarma, however, did not elaborate on the proposed cell. (Source: PTI)    

GUWAHATI : Two persons were arrested after bottles of banned codeine-based cough syrup worth over Rs 2 crore were seized from their possession in two separate operations in Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. The two operations were carried out on Saturday in Cachar and Kokrajhar districts. Codeine is strictly regulated in India. Over-the-counter sales of codeine-based medicines are prohibited, and possessing, manufacturing or selling them without a valid medical licence is illegal under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. Sarma, in a post on X, said a consignment of the banned syrup was seized from a truck in Cachar. “Based on reliable inputs, a truck was intercepted by @cacharpolice leading to the recovery of Rs 2.1cr worth of banned Codeine Phosphate Syrup,” he said on Saturday. One person has been arrested, Sarma added, affirming that efforts to dismantle the drug network will continue. The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), also in a post on social media on Sunday, said another consignment was seized in Kokrajhar. “Intercepting a truck carrying cattle feed at a naka checkpoint yesterday, @KokrajharPolice uncovered and seized 30,000 bottles of illicit Codeine syrup at Gossaigaon and apprehended the driver,” it said. “HCM Dr. @himantabiswa has applauded the operational team for their sharp vigilance,” the CMO added. Codeine is strictly regulated in India. Over-the-counter sales of codeine-based medicines are prohibited, and possessing, manufacturing or selling them without a valid medical licence is illegal under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. (Source: PTI)    

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)