Imphal | June 25, 2025
India Today NE has taken down a controversial report authored by Naorem Mohen that falsely claimed the formation of a group named “Hmar Tlangval,” after it came under fire for publishing what critics say was a politically motivated fabrication. The removal follows a detailed exposé by Northeast Diary, which questioned the credibility and intent behind the report.
The now-deleted article, published on June 23, alleged that the fictitious “Hmar Tlangval” group supported the Meitei Alliance and Thadou Inpi Manipur’s demand to delist “Any Kuki Tribes” (AKT) from the Scheduled Tribes list. The report attributed this support to statements made by unnamed sources, but failed to provide any verifiable evidence or official press note from the supposed group.
Northeast Diary was the first to flag the story as disinformation, highlighting inconsistencies in the report and pointing out that the press statement referenced by India Today NE was neither publicly available nor verified. The publication called the report an act of “gross journalistic misconduct” and raised concerns about media complicity in stoking communal tension. The story by India Today NE, however, couldn’t be accessed since today morning, owing to the report by Northeast Diary, followed by public outrage.
Naorem Mohen, the author of the piece, has come under increasing scrutiny for previously publishing unsubstantiated political content. Critics allege a pattern of misinformation designed to support the interests of certain ethnic coalitions in Manipur. While India Today NE has silently removed the article from its website, it has not issued any public clarification or apology, prompting calls for greater editorial accountability.
Hmar Inpui also condemned India Today NE report in a press statement issued by its Information Secretary today.
