LIVE: Yumnam Khemchand Singh takes oath as Manipur Chief Minister

BJP leader Yumnam Khemchand Singh has been chosen by his party as the new Chief Minister of Manipur, ending nearly a year of President’s Rule in the state. The decision was announced today, with Singh, who represents the Singjamei constituency, tipped to assume the top post. A senior BJP politician, he previously served as Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly from 2017 to 2022 and held key ministerial portfolios until the imposition of President’s Rule in 2025. Singh has also been the BJP’s Legislative Party Leader.

After a series of thefts, residents of Guwahati’s Nayanpur area caught two thieves red-handed. As per reports, the accused attempted to steal various items from an under-construction building at dusk. Alert locals noticed the suspicious activity and managed to apprehend the duo on the spot. An angry crowd tied up the two accused and assaulted them before informing the police. Dispur Police later reached the scene and took the two men into custody. The area had witnessed multiple incidents of theft over the past several days, but police had been unable to make any arrests. Eventually, residents managed to nab the suspects and hand them over to the police for further action.

Arijit Singh, widely known for his melodious romantic songs in Bollywood, has announced his decision to retire from playback singing. The 38-year-old singer confirmed the development through a post on his private X account , a few days after the release of his latest song, Maatrubhumi, from Battle of Galwan on social media. While the reason behind his decision remains unclear, Arijit clarified that he is not stepping away from music altogether. The two-time National Award winner stated that he already has song releases lined up for 2026 but will not be signing any new film projects as a playback singer going forward. The announcement was made via his private account, as Arijit Singh does not maintain an official X profile. In his message, Arijit wrote, “Hello, Happy New Year to all. I want to thank you for giving me so much love all these years as listeners. I am happy to announce that I am not going to take any new assignments as a playback vocalist from now on. I am calling it off. It was a wonderful journey.”

Update 1: January 19, 2026 at 05:27 PM

Sikha Sarma is arrested by the Assam Police Crime Branch and will be produced before the court shortly. Earlier, the Crime Branch detains her from Nilachal Apartment in Patharquary, Guwahati. The Crime Branch registers Case No. 2/26 against Sikha Sarma following a complaint filed by Garima Saikia Garg. The case is registered under Sections 152, 196, 299, 351, 352, 353, and 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Sikha Sarma allegedly posts derogatory and negative remarks about popular Assamese singer Zubeen Garg on various social media platforms. She is also accused of sharing Facebook posts questioning the singer’s character. The investigation is currently underway, and further legal proceedings are expected as the accused is presented before the court.

Update 1: January 12, 2026 at 10:58 AM

ISRO’s PSLV-C62 rocket, carrying 15 satellites, experiences a deviation in its flight path during the mission on Sunday. According to ISRO Chairman, the space agency is closely analysing the situation. In an official statement, ISRO says, “The PSLV-C62 mission encountered an anomaly towards the end of the PS3 stage. A detailed analysis has been initiated.” The PSLV-C62 lifts off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 10:18 am IST, marking the beginning of India’s space calendar

A devastating fire has completely destroyed two homes Morangi’s No. 3in Golaghat. The houses belonged to the family of Papu Saikia. At the time of the incident, the family had gone to a temple to celebrate their son’s birthday. Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the fire, which remains unknown. No casualties have been reported so far, but the family has lost all their belongings in the blaze. The incident has shocked the local community, highlighting the need for increased fire safety measures in residential areas.

A high-pressure gas pipeline of ONGC ruptured at Patsako Liplen in Charaideo, leading to a continuous gas leak. The incident is suspected to have been caused by excessive pressure in the pipeline. Gas continues to gush out from the damaged pipeline, triggering panic among local residents. Following the incident, the local community has held ONGC authorities fully responsible for the mishap. The gas leak is still ongoing at the Liplen LP-1 manifold.

Former Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil passed away in Latur today at the age of 91. Patil breathed his last at around 6:30 am at his residence, where he had been under home care due to a prolonged illness. A veteran Congress leader, Patil served as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and held several key portfolios in the Union Cabinet during his long political career.

The SIT will submit the chargesheet in the Zubeen Garg murder case today before the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup (Metro). The Chief Minister has urged the public to trust the judicial process, expressing confidence that justice will be delivered.