Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Imphal: A Bolero carrying four government employees veered off the road and fell into a deep gorge near Sataek village, about 30 km south of Aizawl, on Thursday. Three men died in the wreck. The sole survivor, driver Gojendro Dey of the Central Bureau of Communication in Aizawl, remains under treatment at Zoram Medical College and Hospital in Falkawn with severe injuries.
The deceased include Dr. Engam Pame, Additional Director General of the Press Information Bureau in Imphal, and Nampibou Marinmai, Director of News at Doordarshan Kendra and All India Radio in Aizawl. H Lianvela, a multi-tasking staff member with the CBC in Aizawl, also perished. Pame and Marinmai were both Indian Information Service officers hailing from Manipur’s Zeliangrong community in Tamenglong district.
Officials report the group was returning to Aizawl after planting a memorial tree in Sialsuk village for Pame’s late brother. The crash occurred after Dey suddenly fell ill, losing the ability to move his limbs or open his eyes. The bodies were moved to Zoram Medical College and Hospital Thursday night for post-mortem examinations scheduled for Friday.
Following the autopsies, the bodies of Pame and Marinmai will be transported to their native places in Manipur. Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma expressed solidarity with the grieving families, stating, “Their sudden and untimely passing is a profound loss, and I share in the grief of all who mourn them.” Mizo National Front president Zoramthanga and state Congress president Lal Thanzara also offered condolences.
The All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union and the Editors’ Guild Manipur joined in the mourning, highlighting Pame’s dedication and close ties to the media. Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh also issued a formal statement of grief. Members of the Mizoram Journalists’ Association visited the hospital to pay their respects to the victims.
Updated at 2nd October 2026 at 9:50pm
Pame and Marinmai both held ranks within the Indian Information Service. Beyond his PIB role in Imphal, Pame also managed the Central Bureau of Communication regional office. Colleagues and journalists remember him for his accessibility and his habit of maintaining open, cordial ties with the press.
The media community in Manipur remains shaken by the loss. In a joint statement, the All Manipur Working Journalists Union and the Editors Guild Manipur credited Pame for his lasting impact on public communication and his dedication to his duties, noting that his death leaves a void in the state media fraternity.
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