Meghalaya

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Thursday unveiled the much-awaited lineup for the Cherry Blossom Festival 2025, promising “a grand celebration of music, art, and culture that showcases the rich diversity of our state.” The festival will see some of the world’s biggest names perform in Shillong. Day One will feature The Script, Jason Derulo, and Nora Fatehi, followed by Aqua and Tyga. On Day Two, and a power-packed finale by global DJ Diplo. Sangma also announced a special tribute to the late Zubeen Garg, calling it “a heartfelt moment to honour a legend who inspired generations.” Local favourites like Meba Ofilia,  Dapest, EDL and Girish and The Chronicles will share the stage with international acts. “This festival isn’t just about global stars,” Sangma said. “It’s a...

Police in Meghalaya are appealing for help to identify a man whose body was discovered in an abandoned house in the 20th Mile Pahammawlein area of Ri-Bhoi district on October 23, 2025. The Byrnihat Police Out-Post received information about the discovery at approximately 2:00 pm from the local headman. Officers arrived at the scene to find the body of a man believed to be between 58 and 60 years old. The deceased was known locally only by the surname "Boro" and had worked as a hired labourer in the area for approximately five to six years. Despite enquiries in the community, authorities have been unable to establish his full identity or locate any next of kin. Following legal formalities at the police station, the body has been transferred to the Civil Hospital Mortuary in Nongpoh for ...

The Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF) has demanded that the NPP-led MDA 2.0 Government should immediately revoke all government land allocations in the Polo area, alleging that valuable public land has been handed over to private non-tribal entities in violation of existing laws. In a letter addressed to Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, HNYF general secretary Tyllibbor Swer expressed concern over the alleged allocation of government land stretching from Polo Orchid up to Saw Furlong and beyond, as well as similar cases in Rilbong, where land has reportedly been allotted to non-tribal groups under the guise of trusts. Swer stated that the lands in question are government-owned, as confirmed by court rulings, yet they have been fenced off and transferred to ...

Meghalaya Governor Chandrashekhar H. Vijayashankar has cautioned against widespread monoculture practices, warning that over-reliance on single-crop cultivation risks causing severe ecological imbalance. He stressed that safeguarding biodiversity is essential not only for the environment but also for long-term economic stability and sustainable rural livelihoods. Speaking at the 48th All India Botanical Conference and International Symposium on Plant Diversity and Bioeconomy at North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) in Shillong, the Governor said biodiversity remains the bedrock of India’s bioresource wealth. He urged policymakers, scientists, and institutions to focus on sustainable agricultural models that protect genetic diversity and encourage community-led conservation. Highlighting...

Meghalaya secured a place in the semifinals of the Sub-Junior Boys National Football Championship 2025–26 (Tier 2) with a convincing 4-0 victory over Himachal Pradesh in their final Group C encounter on October 30 morning. Star striker Marbiang Marwein led the charge with a first-half hat-trick, finding the net in the 8th, 39th, and 45+2 minutes. His performance took his tournament tally to nine goals and earned him a third successive Player of the Match award. Wanpyndapbor Nongsiej added a fourth goal in the 62nd minute to seal the dominant win. With earlier triumphs over Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya finished the group stage with a perfect nine points under coach Dapmon Tariang, topping Group C. They will now face Telangana, the unbeaten leaders of Group A, in the fir...

A special court in Meghalaya has sentenced two drug peddlers to six years of rigorous imprisonment and fined them ₹60,000 each for distributing narcotics to minors, officials said on Wednesday. The East Khasi Hills Special Judge (NDPS) court convicted Marvinson Jyrwa and Skhem Kupar Massar on October 27 under Sections 21(b) and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, along with Section 77 of the Juvenile Justice Act. The prosecution established that both were involved in supplying narcotic substances to minors. Public Prosecutor S.S. Das represented the state in the case. Calling the offence “deeply aggravating,” the court said the act of targeting children for drug distribution showed extreme moral depravity and warranted strict punishment. In a separate ve...

Meghalaya MP Ricky J Syngkon has written to the Centre seeking immediate intervention over what he described as "severe environmental degradation" of the Umngot River in West Jaintia Hills, allegedly caused by construction activities under the Shillong-Tamabil road expansion project. The river popular for its pristine clear water at Dawki along the Indo-Bangladesh border has now turned brown, the MP highlighted. In his letter to Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, the MP said the Umngot, once celebrated as 'Asia's cleanest river', has turned muddy and lifeless due to large-scale dumping of soil and debris from ongoing hill-cutting work along the 71-km NH-40 expansion project. “The Umngot River, a symbol of Meghalaya’s pristine natural herita...

A court in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district has framed charges against five accused in the murder case of Raja Raghuvanshi, who was hacked to death in May allegedly by three hitmen in the state, where the Madhya Pradesh businessman came with his wife for their honeymoon. The five accused are Raghuvanshi’s wife Sonam, her boyfriend Raj Kushwaha and the three hitmen - Vishal Chauhan, Akash Rajput and Anand Kurmi - who had come from Madhya Pradesh to kill the businessman. All of them denied the allegations against them. On Tuesday, the court formally framed charges under Sections 103(1) (murder), 238 (a) (disappearance of evidence) and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita. All five accused were arrested within a week of the incident. On September 5, the police submit...

The Congress in Meghalaya on Wednesday welcomed former minister Zenith Sangma back into its fold, a day after he resigned from the Trinamool Congress. In a letter to A Chellakumar, AICC secretary in-charge of Meghalaya, Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said party president Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the proposal for Sangma’s rejoining of the Indian National Congress (INC). Sangma was formally welcomed into the party in Shillong by Meghalaya PCC president Vincent H Pala and other senior leaders. The announcement was made in Shillong by MPCC president Vincent H. Pala, following approval from the All India Congress Committee (AICC). Sangma’s return, the Congress said, is a direct rebuttal to the ruling NPP’s claim that the party is “finished” in Meghalaya. Inst...

Meghalaya Trinamool Congress (TMC) vice-president and former minister Zenith Sangma on Tuesday resigned from the party and its primary membership with immediate effect. In a letter addressed to the party leadership, Zenith said the decision came "after much thought and reflection," describing it as a difficult but necessary step to pursue a new path that aligns with his personal vision and the aspirations of the people he serves. "This has not been an easy decision. My journey with the AITC has been filled with invaluable experiences, lessons, and memories. I will always remain grateful for the trust, support, and friendship I received from colleagues, workers, and well-wishers throughout my tenure with the party," the younger brother of senior TMC leader and Opposition Leader Mukul Sangm...