[9:15 am, 26/5/2026] +91 94356 19984: The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has appealed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah to ensure a fair and impartial investigation into allegations levelled against Lalboi Vaiphei, the chief of Leilon Vaiphei village in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district.
In a letter addressed to the Union Home Minister, the KZC claimed that false allegations had been made against Lalboi Vaiphei in a representation reportedly submitted by certain Naga organisations to the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Governor of Manipur and the Chief Minister of Manipur.
The organisation alleged that the contents of the representation were widely circulated on social media, leading to defamation, hate speech and targeted attacks against the village chief.
The KZC stated that Lalboi Vaiphei had no connection with the alleged abduction of civilians and claimed that he was out of station for medical reasons when the incident took place.
The council further said the allegations and related propaganda had endangered his personal safety and created an atmosphere of hostility.
Seeking government intervention, the KZC urged authorities to conduct a fair probe and take steps to prevent the spread of what it termed as false accusations.
The organisation also appreciated the initiative taken by N. Biren Singh in holding discussions with the United Naga Council (UNC) regarding the prevailing situation in the state. However, it appealed to the government to also hold dialogue with Kuki-Zo leaders to ensure balanced engagement with all communities.
The KZC further urged the government to intensify efforts to rescue the hostages linked to the ongoing crisis and stressed the need to prevent another ethnic conflict in the state.
The council also expressed concern that the killing of three senior Kuki-Zo pastors was being overshadowed by the hostage situation. It appealed to the authorities to identify and bring those responsible for the killings to justice.
The letter was signed by Henlianthang Thanglet, chairman of the Kuki-Zo Council, and copies were forwarded to the Governor and Chief Minister of Manipur.
[9:15 am, 26/5/2026] +91 94356 19984: Tigress with cubs spotted in Jonai reserve forest, locals alerted
Dhemaji, May 26: Forest officials of the Jonai Forest Range under the Dhemaji Territorial Forest Division have confirmed the movement of a Royal Bengal tigress along with her cubs in the riverine areas of the Poba Reserve Forest over the past few days.
According to forest officials, multiple pugmarks of the tigress were spotted in the Oiramghat and Kobuchapori areas of the reserve forest, which lies adjacent to the Pasighat Reserve Forest and the Daying Ering Wildlife Sanctuary in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh.
Officials said the tigress had recently killed a domestic cow that had wandered into a forested grazing area near Oiramghat.
Following reports of tiger movement in the area, forest authorities have alerted residents of nearby villages and advised them not to enter forest areas unnecessarily. Villagers have also been urged to keep their domestic cattle away from the forest zone.
Forest personnel said tiger pugmarks had occasionally been observed in the Jonai range earlier as well. However, they noted that the reserve forests in the area are generally not considered a regular tiger habitat, though tigers from distant locations are known to visit during the breeding season.
In a recent development, wildlife officials from the Daying Ering Wildlife Sanctuary confirmed the presence of Royal Bengal tigers in the region after camera-trap surveys conducted earlier this month captured photographic evidence of tiger movement.
Forest and wildlife officials expressed optimism over the return of tigers to the reserve forest areas after nearly two decades, describing it as a positive sign of successful conservation efforts.
Authorities have appealed to residents of fringe villages not to panic over the tiger sightings, stating that the arrival of tiger species in the area reflects improving environmental conditions and could also support future eco-tourism prospects.
