(Official Police Record Undermines WCKCSOs – Ukhrul’s ” No Record, No Evidence ” Claims, Investigation Alone Can Determine Its Origin)
The Dawn Tantak takes note of the statement issued by the Department of Information and Media, WCKCSOs-Ukhrul, challenging its report concerning the discovery of an unexploded explosive device in the vicinity of Sharkaphung/Sikibung and demanding evidence regarding its alleged origin.
For the sake of clarity, accuracy and public understanding, The Dawn Tantak welcomes scrutiny of its reporting. However, it is equally important that public debate be anchored in the established facts and not in an attempt to discredit a report merely because questions remain regarding the origin of an explosive device.
The central fact is no longer in dispute: an explosive device was found in a forested area after local villagers reported its presence; Litan Police and BSF personnel, including bomb-disposal experts, responded to the information; the device was subsequently neutralised in situ; and an official General Diary entry was made.
According to information received from an official Litan Police source, credible information was received on August 7 regarding a suspected Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in a dense forest area of Sikibung, approximately three kilometres south of Litan Police Station. Villagers had reportedly entered the area in search of bee or hornet hives when the suspicious object was detected.
The police team of Litan Police Station, accompanied by personnel of 164 “D” Company, BSF, and bomb-disposal experts, immediately proceeded to the location. The area was secured, while the village headman/chairman and nearby security posts were informed.
The suspected IED was safely defused in situ at approximately 4 p.m. by BSF personnel and bomb-disposal experts, thereby averting a potential threat to the lives of civilians.
Most significantly, the official communication states that no incriminating material or identifiable splinters were recovered from the demolition site and that a General Diary entry was recorded vide GD No. 09/LTN-PS/2026 dated August 7, 2026. It further states that an enquiry has been initiated to ascertain the source and circumstances relating to the IED.
This official record provides the appropriate answer to one of the principal criticisms raised by WCKCSOs-Ukhrul.
The Dawn Tantak did not claim to have conducted a forensic investigation into the device, nor did it claim that the origin of the projectile had been officially established by the police. The original report expressly used the words “allegedly” and “according to local sources” when referring to its reported origin. That distinction is fundamental to responsible journalism.
The allegation that the report constituted a definitive “verdict without evidence” therefore misrepresents what was actually published.
At the same time, The Dawn Tantak acknowledges an equally important fact emerging from the official police record: the precise source and circumstances surrounding the explosive device have not yet been established. That is precisely why the police have initiated an enquiry.
Consequently, The Dawn Tantak neither claims nor intends to prejudge the outcome of that investigation. If the official enquiry ultimately establishes a different origin, the TDT news will report that finding with the same seriousness and prominence accorded to the original incident.
But the absence of a completed investigation cannot reasonably be converted into proof that the incident itself was fabricated.
There is a clear difference between reporting the discovery of an unexploded device and the circumstances described by eyewitness or local sources, and making a final forensic determination about who fired or placed it. The former is journalism based on available information; the latter is a matter for investigators and competent authorities.
The Dawn Tantak therefore welcomes the call for evidence—and places on record the official information now available: the incident was reported to Litan Police, security personnel reached the location, the suspected IED was neutralised, an official GD entry was made, and an enquiry is underway.
That is not fabrication. That is an officially recorded security incident requiring investigation.
The TDT news also believes that the safety of civilians must remain above political narratives. Whether an unexploded device is discovered in Sharkaphung/Sikibung, Mongkot Chepu or any other conflict-affected locality, every civilian deserves prompt protection and every suspicious explosive device deserves immediate neutralisation by competent authorities.
The Dawn Tantak therefore urges all concerned to allow the investigating authorities to establish the facts rather than attempting to determine responsibility through competing public statements.
In a conflict-sensitive environment, responsible journalism does not manufacture certainty where evidence is incomplete. It reports what is known, identifies what is alleged, distinguishes between the two, and follows the investigation as facts emerge.
The Dawn Tantak stands by the reporting of the incident while making one principle unequivocally clear: the identity or affiliation of whoever was responsible for the explosive device must be established by evidence and investigation—not by assumption, accusation or political rhetoric.
The Dawn Tantak remains committed to correcting any factual error if and when competent authorities establish otherwise. Until then, the appropriate course is neither retraction nor counter-accusation, but investigation, evidence and accountability.
Facts first. Evidence next. Accountability always.
Issued by The Dawn Tantak
