Bodies of Doordarshan, PIB officials killed in Mizoram accident to be sent to Manipur

The bodies of Doordarshan Aizawl Director (News) Nampibou Marinmai and Press Information Bureau (PIB) Additional Director General Engam Pame, who were killed in a road accident in Mizoram, will be sent to their respective hometowns in Manipur after autopsy on October 2, officials said.

Marinmai and Pame were among three central government officials killed when their car plunged into a deep gorge near Sataek village, around 30 km south of Aizawl, on Thursday.

H Lianvela, a multi-tasking staff member of the Central Bureau of Communication (CBC) field office in Aizawl, also died in the accident.

The driver, Gojendro Dey of CBC Aizawl, sustained severe injuries and is undergoing treatment at Zoram Medical College and Hospital (ZMCH) at Falkawn near Aizawl.

According to a PIB official, the four were returning to Aizawl after planting a tree at Sialsuk village in memory of Pame's brother, who had died in an accident.

The vehicle reportedly veered off the road and plunged into the gorge after Dey suddenly experienced uneasiness and was unable to move his limbs or open his eyes, the official said.

The bodies of the three deceased were brought to ZMCH on Thursday night, with postmortem examinations scheduled for Friday.

After the autopsy, the bodies of Marinmai and Pame will be transported to their native places in Manipur, the official said.

Office-bearers of the Mizoram Journalists' Association visited ZMCH on Thursday to pay their respects and offer condolences to the families of the deceased.

Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma, Mizo National Front president Zoramthanga and state Congress president Lal Thanzara also condoled the deaths on Friday.

Lalduhoma described the deaths as tragic and untimely and expressed solidarity with the bereaved families.

“Their sudden and untimely passing is a profound loss, and I share in the grief of all who mourn them,” the chief minister said.