Correspondent
IMPHAL, NOV 2: Amid continuing tension and violent protests in Manipur, the bodies of two Kuki youths who were allegedly abducted and murdered in Senapati district were brought to Imphal and deposited at the mortuary of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) on Sunday night.
The deceased, identified as Thangginlun Chongloi (21) and Paoginlal Hangsing (20), were residents of Taphou Kuki village in Kangpokpi district. Their bodies were recovered from an isolated location in neighbouring Senapati district on Sunday morning.
The two youths had been missing since October 28 after they were allegedly abducted while returning from Hengbung police outpost along National Highway-2. The recovery of their bodies triggered violent protests in Kangpokpi district headquarters, where angry residents, mostly youths, gathered to protest against the killings and demand justice.
The situation escalated when police brought the bodies to the Kangpokpi district hospital morgue, forcing the authorities to temporarily deposit them at the office premises of the Superintendent of Police (SP) amid mounting protests.
As the agitation intensified, police, assisted by security forces, used tear gas shells and mock bombs to disperse protesters who stormed the SP office on Sunday night. Several people were reportedly injured during the clashes, including one person who sustained a direct hit from a tear gas shell on the head. The person’s condition was stated to be critical but out of danger.
With tensions remaining high, police subsequently transferred the bodies to the RIMS mortuary in Imphal pending the necessary postmortem examinations.
Meanwhile, the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) has extended its ongoing total shutdown in Kangpokpi district for another 48 hours, citing the government’s alleged failure to take decisive action and ensure justice for the two murdered youths.
The shutdown, which entered its fifth consecutive day on Monday, was initially called for 46 hours, demanding the safe and unharmed release of the two abducted youths. Following confirmation of their deaths, the shutdown was extended by another 24 hours. Although the extended shutdown was scheduled to end at 5 pm on Monday, CoTU announced a further extension of 48 hours through an urgent public notice.
The committee stated that the government’s alleged inaction and failure to initiate concrete steps against those responsible for the killings would no longer be tolerated. However, essential services, including schools, medical services, media and air travel for essential purposes, have been exempted from the shutdown.
In a separate development, the Maram Students’ Union (MKS) in Senapati district strongly condemned an alleged arson attack on Tumuyon Khullen, a Maram (Naga) village located along the Senapati-Kangpokpi inter-district border.
The student body alleged that Kuki armed groups were responsible for the attack, during which several houses in the village were reportedly reduced to ashes amid the violent agitations in Kangpokpi district.
Questioning the failure of Central security forces to prevent the incident despite their reported presence in the area, the MKS expressed strong concern over the attack and condemned the destruction of civilian properties.
The developments have further heightened tensions in the region, with the situation remaining volatile amid continuing protests and the shutdown in Kangpokpi.