Six Bodies Found in Manipur Days After Hostage Crisis Involving Meitei Women and Children
Imphal/New Delhi: Six bodies were discovered in Manipur on Saturday, five days after three women and three children, including an eight-month-old, were kidnapped by suspected Kuki militants in the state’s Jiribam district. The bodies were found following a violent abduction that has intensified tensions in the region.
On Friday night, three of the bodies, identified as a woman and two children, were transported to the Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) in Assam. Initial reports from the morgue misidentified them as adults due to advanced decomposition. However, top government officials later confirmed the discovery of three more bodies, raising the death toll to six. These additional bodies are yet to be transferred to SMCH for further identification.
The Abduction and Discovery
The abductions took place on Monday in the Bokobera area of Jiribam, reportedly during a firefight between suspected Kuki militants and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Laisharam Herojit, a local state worker, confirmed that his wife, two children, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law were among the hostages taken.
Herojit recounted receiving a distress call from his wife before the connection was lost. A subsequent witness reported seeing the victims being forcibly taken away in a boat by armed men.
Security Response and Clashes
In the aftermath of the encounter, security forces claimed to have killed ten suspected Kuki militants, recovering weapons including AK and INSAS rifles and a rocket-propelled grenade launcher. However, the Kuki community disputed this claim, insisting that the deceased were “village volunteers,” a contention that was rejected by the CRPF and police.
Protests by the Kuki Community
Tensions flared as protests erupted outside SMCH, with members of the Kuki community blocking the removal of ten bodies from the morgue. The protesters insisted that the bodies were of village volunteers and demanded they be sent to Mizoram instead of returning to Manipur.
Negotiations between government officials and protesters broke down, leading to a confrontation with police, who used lathi charges to disperse the crowd. Assam Police have heightened their presence in the area following the unrest.
Rising Tensions
This tragic incident has further exacerbated the already volatile situation in Manipur, with far-reaching security and political implications for the region. Investigations are underway to determine the identities of the deceased and the full circumstances surrounding the abductions and subsequent deaths. The crisis continues to unfold, deepening the divide between the communities and raising concerns about the future stability of the state.
