In Shi-Yomi district, an Arunachal school fire claims one life and injures three.

A devastating fire broke out in the early hours at the boys’ hostel of Papikurung Government Residential School in Arunachal Pradesh’s Shi-Yomi district, resulting in the death of a student and injuries to three others, police reported. The incident occurred around 2 a.m. on Sunday. The injured—Lukhi Pujen (8), Tanu Pujen (9), and Tayi Pujen (11)—are being treated at Zonal General Hospital in Aalo, West Siang district. Authorities have yet to identify the deceased.

Superintendent of Police S.K. Thongdok stated that a police team has been dispatched to the remote village, which lies 17 km from Monigong and near the last Indian Army post at Tadadege, to investigate the cause of the blaze. Notably, the area lacks electricity, and officials are probing possible reasons behind the tragedy.

A Sikkim abattoir is being investigated after a buffalo was discovered in a serious condition.

A buffalo in critical condition was found at a slaughterhouse in Majitar, Pakyong district, exposing serious lapses in animal welfare enforcement in Sikkim. The discovery, reported by People For Animals member Ramu Bishwakarma, revealed the animal had visible injuries, swelling, and severe damage to its legs. Veterinary teams confirmed multiple wounds but struggled to provide treatment due to the buffalo’s frail state and unhygienic conditions at the facility.

The case has raised questions over the implementation of the Sikkim Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act, 2017, which requires official authorisation and humane practices for slaughter. Activists have demanded stricter monitoring of transport routes and slaughterhouses, stressing that ignoring such suffering is both unethical and a violation of law.

In September, PM Modi will open the Bairabi-Sairang railway line in Mizoram.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Bairabi-Sairang railway line in Mizoram on September 13, bringing Aizawl onto the railway map for the first time, Chief Minister Lalduhoma announced at a conference in Aizawl. The 51.38-km stretch features 48 tunnels, 55 major bridges, and includes India’s tallest bridge at 104 metres. Sairang station will be upgraded to a world-class facility, and Rajdhani services are planned. The project, a key part of the Centre’s Act East policy, will link Aizawl to Assam’s Silchar and the wider national rail network.

In an Itanagar drug trafficking case, two people were detained, including a journalist and a young person from Assam.

On August 22, the Chimpu Police in Itanagar arrested two individuals, including a student leader-cum-journalist, for alleged involvement in drug trafficking. Acting on intelligence inputs, a naka operation at the Chimpu Check Post led to the seizure of heroin vials, cash, mobile phones, and a vehicle from the possession of William Tana Tara (27), Secretary of the All Nyishi Students’ Union and a journalist, and Biki Phukan (28), of H-Sector Itanagar. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered, and police have reiterated their zero-tolerance approach towards narcotics.

Meghalaya’s border with Bangladesh is under a night curfew.

On August 21, 2025, the District Magistrate of East Khasi Hills, Rosetta Mary Kurbah, imposed a night curfew effective from 8:00 PM to 6:00 AM within 1 km of the India-Bangladesh border for two months, under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). The curfew aims to prevent illegal crossings, infiltration by militants and smugglers, and unlawful assemblies, in response to rising threats and recent incidents along the porous border. The order bans movement, gatherings of five or more, carrying weapons, and smuggling of items such as cattle, betelnut, contraband, and tea leaves. Despite fencing 367 km of Meghalaya’s 443-km border with Bangladesh, gaps in fencing have made some areas prone to cross-border crime and infiltration, prompting urgent preventive action.

A portion of Meghalaya’s unfenced border becomes a point of entry for Bangladeshi intruders.

A recent intrusion in South West Khasi Hills has triggered alarm over gaps in fencing along the 444-km India-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya, where about 20% remains unfenced due to tough terrain and land hurdles. On August 8, at least eight armed men from Bangladesh allegedly crossed into Rongdanggai village, stabbed a local, ransacked homes, and attempted a kidnapping. Villagers managed to overpower some intruders, and subsequent operations by the BSF, police and Village Defence Parties led to multiple arrests, recovery of weapons, and the death of one suspect. A visiting delegation of local leaders said porous stretches are regularly exploited by criminals and urged stronger security measures, warning that such incidents pose serious risks to border villagers. A detailed report is being prepared for Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma.

Two modular bridges constructed with Indian support were opened in Nepal.

India and Nepal jointly inaugurated two modular steel bridges in Koshi Province on Wednesday, under New Delhi’s grant assistance for rebuilding vital road infrastructure damaged by the September 2024 floods. The 48.8-meter span bridge over Puwa Khola in Ilam district and the 70-meter span bridge over Hewa Khola in Panchthar district—the longest modular bridge installed in Nepal—were inaugurated by Indian Ambassador Naveen Srivastava and Nepalese Minister Devendra Dahal. The project, executed with support from Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd, also facilitated hands-on training for 35 Nepali technicians in modular bridge erection, enhancing local capacity. This marks part of India’s commitment to providing 10 prefabricated bridges to Nepal to boost connectivity and flood recovery[Indian Embassy].

The Meghalaya Civil Defence and Home Guards have welcomed 445 new members.

The Meghalaya government inducted 445 new personnel into the Civil Defence and Home Guards Department during its first ‘Rozgar Mela’ in Mawdiangdiang, distributing appointment letters to recruits selected as sub-inspectors, guardsmen, drivers, and non-combatant staff. Civil Defence and Home Guards Minister Comingone Ymbon urged appointees to uphold discipline and integrity, noting their responsibility during natural disasters and law-and-order situations. Selected from a pool of over 22,000 candidates via physical, written, and interview stages, the new recruits greatly strengthen the department’s capacity. Officials announced plans for an additional 233 appointments and revealed ongoing discussions to convert the Border Wing Home Guards Battalion into a State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), with the border wing continuing as a voluntary initiative along the Bangladesh border.

A gas cylinder explosion in Shillong injured two people.

A Border Security Force (BSF) personnel and a civilian sustained serious injuries when an LPG cylinder exploded in a rented house at Shillong’s Umpling Lumdiengmet locality late Tuesday night. The blast, which occurred around 10 pm in the kitchen of a ground-floor apartment, severely damaged the house and nearby structures. The injured—identified as BSF jawan Sandeep Kumar and Subham Cheran Momin—were initially treated at the BSF hospital in Umpling before being shifted to NEIGRIHMS. One of them, in critical condition, was later referred to Guwahati for specialised care. Police have begun investigating the cause of the explosion.

IIIT-Manipur and Assam Rifles collaborate to improve advanced drone training.

In a step aimed at boosting security operations with cutting-edge technology, the Assam Rifles on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Manipur, to expand the use of drones in defence and surveillance. The agreement, formalised at Mantripukhri in Imphal West district, included technical sessions on the indigenisation of drone systems and the launch of an ‘Advanced Drone Training and Refresher Course’. The programme will provide Assam Rifles personnel with training in drone operation, maintenance, and certification, thereby strengthening operational readiness. Officials said the initiative highlights the importance of defence–academia collaboration in advancing self-reliance, as drones are becoming increasingly critical for surveillance, tactical missions, and disaster response in the Northeast.