It seems like the world of online information is getting messier by the day, especially in places like Northeast India, where feelings about identity and politics run really high. It’s like a constant battle for what’s true and what’s not, and some folks are even trying to stir up trouble with made-up stories.
Imagine a website called “Voice of North East India” – VONEI for short. On the surface, it looks like a regular news site, promising to be super independent and tell it like it is for the people of the Northeast. But when you dig a little deeper, things start to look a bit fishy. It’s like finding a secret tunnel behind a bookshelf – suddenly, you realize there’s more going on than meets the eye.
This investigation into VONEI, and the people who write for it, uncovers a whole bunch of strange clues. We’re talking about technical oddities, weird social media behavior, and content that just doesn’t add up. It’s almost like they’re trying to push a particular viewpoint, one that focuses on problems, human rights issues, and government failures, always painting a picture of discontent. They use a lot of emotional words, pick and choose facts carefully, and seem to want people to distrust official institutions. This isn’t just independent journalism; it feels more like a carefully crafted campaign.
This kind of “information warfare” is really dangerous, especially in a region like the Northeast. People there already have strong feelings about who they are, their heritage, and how different groups get along. Throwing misleading information, playing on ethnic differences, and pushing separatist ideas into that mix is like pouring gasoline on a fire. It can really erode trust, make people suspicious of their own government, and pull communities further apart online.
Meet the “Fake” Journalists
Our investigation suggests that VONEI is at the heart of an organized digital system. It pretends to be a media outlet, covering news and opinions about the Northeast. But when you look at what they publish, it’s all pointing in the same direction: separatist ideas, political division, and making sensitive regional issues sound even more explosive than they are.
And then there are the “columnists.” These aren’t just regular writers. Their identities seem really questionable. They put out articles that are supposed to be legitimate public opinion or independent analysis, but they’re often full of claims without real proof. They take events out of context and blow up sensitive topics with emotional, misleading language. We’re talking about names like Aarokhi Deshmukh, Jyoti Kumar, Nilakshi Rabha, Roshini Sen, Sushma Sharma, and Jyouti. Sometimes, the same stories pop up under different names and on different social media accounts, which really makes you think there’s a team behind it all, pushing these narratives in a coordinated way.
The Mystery of VONEI
So, what exactly is VONEI – Voice of North East India? They sell themselves as a modern, independent news platform, supposedly giving a true voice to the region. They claim to be unbiased, fact-checking everything, providing reliable reports, and free from any political or corporate influence. That’s a textbook description of a good news organization.
But a closer look at their articles, columns, and social media tells a different story. Despite all their claims of independent reporting, many articles and posts are clearly one-sided, full of emotional language, and selectively choosing facts to support a specific narrative.
Here’s where it gets even stranger: VONEI’s Facebook page appears to be run from both India and Pakistan. Imagine an Indian regional news platform having administrators in Pakistan – that’s a huge red flag, especially when they’re talking about sensitive political and social issues in a strategic area like the Northeast. Plus, VONEI’s X (formerly Twitter) account has been “withheld” in India. That usually means there’s been some legal complaint, government order, or platform rule violation. It’s like their social media presence is getting shut down for a reason.
The Technical Clues
Even the technical details of their website are a bit odd. Records show the domain was registered in February 2026 and is valid until 2027. That date’s a bit strange, suggesting a potential typo or something more complex. While the registrant location is listed as Andhra Pradesh, India, a contact number with a +370 country code, which belongs to Lithuania, is also present. This global crisscrossing of technical infrastructure makes the whole operation even more intriguing and definitely worth a closer look. It’s not everyday you find an “Indian” news site connected to Lithuania and Pakistan.
A Controversial Map
And if that wasn’t enough, during the investigation of VONEI’s Facebook page, something very concerning popped up: a controversial map of India. In several posts, the map omitted Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh from India. This isn’t just a simple mistake; it looks like a deliberate choice, pushing a specific agenda. It’s a subtle but powerful way to challenge India’s territorial integrity.
Unmasking the “Fake” Columnists
The investigators weren’t just looking at the website; they were also trying to figure out who these so-called columnists really were. They found two X accounts, “Jyoti Kumar” and “Arokhi,” who had shared VONEI articles. Jyoti Kumar even claimed to have written a specific article, and Arokhi shared one published under the name Arokhi Deshmukh. These public boasts helped investigators cross-reference and connect the dots.
Where Are These “Propaganda Columnists” Really From?
The profiles of these VONEI-linked columnists were full of unusual and suspicious digital patterns. Aarokhi, Nilakshi Rabha, Jyouti, and Jyoti Kumar all present themselves as being from different parts of India, especially Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and the wider Northeast. Their bios often say things like “Arunachal Pradesh, India” or “Assam,” trying to make them seem like genuine local voices.
But here’s the catch: many of these X profiles also show the location indicator “Account based in South Asia.” While that’s a broad region, seeing it on multiple profiles that claim to be specifically from the Northeast raises questions about their true location and how they’re operating. This becomes even more concerning when these accounts consistently push similar stories about sensitive political and social issues.
Some accounts also show signs of recent username changes and a very short digital history. For instance, the Nilakshi Rabha profile has a history of username changes, which is a common tactic in coordinated online campaigns. And the fact that several profiles were created and became active around the same time further strengthens the suspicion that they’re all part of a larger, organized network. The most significant revelation is that Nilakshi Rabha’s X account is also “withheld” in India, just like VONEI’s main account, again suggesting official action against it due to legal or policy violations.
Who’s Writing What?
A closer look at the articles shows that a small group of these alleged columnists churn out a huge number of pieces. Nilakshi Rabha leads with 25 articles, followed by Roshini Sen (24), Sushma Sharma (22), Aarokhi (16), and Jyouti Kumar (10). This concentration of content among a few “writers” suggests that content creation and spreading narratives are very controlled.
The themes of these articles are strikingly consistent: security crises, human rights issues, political failures, militarization, ethnic conflict, separatist dissent, and distrust towards government policies. These topics are everywhere in their content.
The articles themselves read more like opinion pieces and narratives than objective news reports. They present factual events with a lot of emotion and conflict, constantly painting Northeast India as a troubled, ignored, and unstable region. Even though different columnists’ names are attached, the articles often share very similar themes, writing styles, and overall messages. This makes it seem less like a collection of independent writers and more like a coordinated editorial team using multiple fake identities to make it look like there’s widespread support for a single narrative. The fact that the social media accounts of these columnists also show “South Asia-based” indicators and, in some cases, “withheld” statuses, further deepens the suspicion of a coordinated effort.
What Does the Content Really Say?
The articles on VONEI go beyond typical news reporting. They consistently push a very specific political, security, and regional narrative. Most pieces frame Northeast India through the lens of conflict, military presence, political blunders, human rights crises, and institutional oppression.
A prominent theme is the “victimhood narrative.” Northeast India is constantly portrayed as a neglected and insecure region suffering from state repression. Articles with titles like “Blood on the Frontier,” “Peace Accords or Political Deals?,” “The Architecture of Impunity,” and “Elections Under Fire” consistently show Indian security forces, the central government, and democratic processes in a negative light. There’s a clear “Delhi vs. Northeast” framing, where the central government is depicted as an external oppressor, while the identity, culture, and politics of the Northeast are seen as victims. This is very clear in articles like “From Margins to Majority” and “Peace or Fragility?”, where political developments are portrayed as central control suppressing local identity rather than normal democratic processes.
A Connection to Pakistan?
Perhaps the most startling discovery is a link to another Pakistani propaganda platform. The “Jyoti Kumar” X handle shared an image comparing Manipur to Kashmir, criticizing the deployment of security forces. The post tried to create a narrative that military deployment in both regions compromises minority security and violates human rights. Further investigation showed that this exact same image was shared by a Facebook page called “South Asian Files.” This page claimed: “Is Manipur being turned into ‘Kashmir 2.0’? The additional deployment of CRPF personnel in parts of Manipur where the Christian community resides is a cowardly move. The involvement of the Indian Army in the massacre of over 260 Christian minorities in Manipur also raises serious questions about secularism in India. This heavy deployment is turning Manipur into another Kashmir—an emerging ‘Kashmir 2.0’.”
A deeper dive into “South Asian Files” revealed that it’s operated by ten administrators from Pakistan. The page has even changed its name multiple times, starting as an e-commerce platform called Rewaj Bazar, then changing to Zoq-e-Khatoon, back to Rewaj Bazar, and finally to “South Asian Files” in September 2023. This page is clearly being used to spread anti-India propaganda.
In conclusion, this investigation paints a picture of VONEI not as a genuine news platform, but as a carefully constructed tool to push a specific narrative about Northeast India. All the pieces – the content, the alleged columnists, the social media activity, and the technical details – show a coordinated effort. Themes like militarization, political disagreement, distrust of institutions, and regional crises are constantly amplified across different channels. All these findings together strongly suggest a digital influence operation that needs much more scrutiny and ongoing monitoring. It’s a reminder that in our digital age, what you see online might not always be what it seems, especially when it comes to sensitive regional politics.