Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Aizawl: Three government information officials died in a road accident near Sateek, Mizoram, on October 1. The vehicle veered off the road and tumbled down a slope. Terrain made the recovery effort hard. Sialsuk Police and members of the Young Mizo Association pulled the victims from the wreckage.
The victims include Dr. Engam Pame, the Additional Director General of the PIB and CBC regional office in Imphal. Also dead are Nampibou Marinmai, Director of News at Doordarshan Kendra in Aizawl, and H Lianvela, a Multi-Tasking Staff member with the CBC field office in Aizawl. Two others survived the crash. The driver and one passenger sustained injuries during the wreck.
Pame had traveled to Mizoram for the Inter Media Publicity Coordination Committee and to handle the hiring of a translator for PIB Aizawl. He and Marinmai had visited Sialsuk on Thursday before the fatal return trip. Authorities are still working to piece together the events. An official report stated: "Further details on the exact circumstances of the accident and the condition of those injured are awaited."
Pame served in government publicity for years. Marinmai was a key figure in regional media outreach. The pair recently appeared together at a public awareness program in Aizawl. Investigators continue to monitor the status of the two survivors.
Updated at 2nd October 2026 at 10:00am
The victims were identified as senior Indian Information Service officers. Pame and Marinmai were both members of the Zeliangrong Naga community from Manipur. Pame previously served as Director of the Directorate of Field Publicity in Shillong, while Marinmai formerly worked as a Public Relations Officer for the Ministry of Defence and chaired the Inter Media Publicity Coordination Committee.
The vehicle involved was a Bolero. The driver, who was the only survivor among the four occupants, stayed conscious and managed to communicate following the crash. Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and the Noney District Working Journalists Association have publicly expressed their condolences for the loss.
Updated at 2nd October 2026 at 2:00pm
The driver, Gojendro Dey of the CBC, Aizawl, remains under care at Zoram Medical College and Hospital in Falkawn after suffering serious injuries. Investigators confirmed the crash site lies roughly 30 kilometers south of Aizawl near Sateek village.
Mizoram Governor General (Retd.) Vijay Kumar Singh issued a formal statement calling the deaths an irreparable loss to the media and communication community. Officials expect to move the remains of Pame and Marinmai to their respective hometowns in Manipur this Friday following the completion of post-mortem examinations.
Updated at 2nd October 2026 at 9:49pm
The victims were returning from Sialsuk where they had planted a tree to honor the memory of Pame's late brother. The driver, Gojendro Dey, told investigators the crash occurred after he suddenly lost control of his body and vision due to an unexpected medical emergency.
Mizoram officials, including Home Minister K. Sapdanga, Education Minister Dr. Vanlalthlana, and Information Minister B. Lalchhanzova, held a formal farewell ceremony for the victims before their remains were airlifted to Manipur by helicopter on Friday. Former Doordarshan Director General C. Lalrosanga also paid his respects at the service, noting the officers' significant influence on regional media development.
Chief Minister Lalduhoma, MNF president Zoramthanga, and state Congress president Lal Thanzara joined the list of state leaders offering formal condolences for the loss.
Updated at 3rd October 2026 at 1:48pm
Mizoram Home Minister K. Sapdanga, who is a journalist turned politician, stated the government is ready to provide any required assistance to the families of the deceased. During the farewell ceremony, the state Information and Public Relations Minister B. Lalchhanzova noted that Pame and Marinmai maintained a specifically close working relationship with his department.
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