Six Bodies Found in Manipur Days After Hostage Crisis Involving Meitei Women and Children
Imphal/New Delhi: Six bodies were recovered five days after three women and three children, including an eight-month-old, were abducted by suspected Kuki militants from the Meitei community in Manipur’s Jiribam district, officials said on Saturday.
The first three bodies, identified as a woman and two children, were sent to the morgue at Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) in Assam on Friday night. Due to decomposition, initial reports from the morgue misidentified them as adults. Later, top government sources confirmed that three more bodies were discovered, raising the death toll to six. These additional bodies are yet to be transported to SMCH for identification.
The Abduction and Discovery
The hostages were taken from Jiribam’s Bokobera area on Monday, reportedly during a gunfight between suspected Kuki militants and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). A low-level state worker, Laisharam Herojit, confirmed his wife, two children, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law were among the abducted.
Mr. Herojit recounted receiving a distress call from his wife before the line went dead. A friend of his wife later claimed to have seen them being taken away in a boat by armed men.
Security Response and Clashes
During the encounter, ten suspected Kuki militants were killed, with security forces recovering weapons, including AK and INSAS rifles and a rocket-propelled grenade launcher. The Kuki community, however, alleged those killed were “village volunteers,” a claim refuted by CRPF and police sources.
Protest by Kuki Community
Protests erupted outside SMCH, with members of the Kuki community blocking the removal of 10 bodies from the morgue, claiming them as village volunteers. The protesters demanded the bodies remain in Silchar for transfer to Mizoram rather than returning to Manipur.
Efforts by government officials to negotiate failed, leading to a scuffle that escalated into a lathi charge by the police. The Assam Police remain on high alert in the region.
Rising Tensions
This tragic incident has further heightened tensions in the already volatile region, with security and political implications for Manipur and the surrounding states. Investigations are ongoing to ascertain the identity of the deceased and the circumstances leading to the abductions and killings.
