Manipur: Demand to rescue six missing persons intensify

Imphal: Demands and agitations for the rescue of the six missing persons -- three women and three children -- intensified in Manipur on Wednesday even as the security forces continued their search operation to locate the untraced persons for the past three days.

Police said that after Monday's incident in which 11 suspected Kuki militants were killed during an encounter with the CRPF in Jiribam district, ten people were either kidnapped or missing.

The Inspector General of Police (Operations), Manipur, I.K. Muivah said that during the search operations after the incident in Jakuradhor village, where several houses were also burnt down by the armed militants, two bodies of elderly civilians -- Maibam Kesho Singh (75) and Laishram Barel (61) – were found.

The victims and the missing persons are inmates of a relief camp set up in the village for the violence-hit people.

The IGP said another person was found alive and rescued and another civilian came back on his own to Police Station

Currently, three women and three children are missing and search operations are going on to find them.

Muivah said that on Monday (November 11), 10 militants were killed in the encounter with the CRPF.

However, police officials earlier had put the toll at 11.

All tribal organisations in Manipur including the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), Kuki-Zo Council and Hmar Students' Association have been claiming that all the 11 are Hmar Village Volunteers.

Silchar Medical College and Hospital Principal Bhaskar Gupta on Wednesday said in Silchar that the Manipur police brought 12 dead bodies to the institution for post-mortem.

“Our doctors conducted a post-mortem of six bodies after receiving the necessary documents and the autopsy would be done after receiving the required papers of the remaining six bodies,” Gupta told the media.

Normal life has been badly affected in five to six Imphal Valley districts on Tuesday and Wednesday after 13 civil society organisations called for a 24-hour total shutdown since Tuesday evening to protest the reported “abduction” of six people, belonging to the Meitei community.

The 13 civil society organisations, including Peace and Social Advancement (IPSA) and Peoples’ Action for National Democratic Movement (PAMDM) in a joint statement, claimed that there is no rule of law in the state.

“The government has totally failed to protect the unarmed people from the attacks of the heavily armed militants at Koutruk, Senjam Chirang and Kadangband areas," the statement said.

Former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh on Wednesday strongly criticising the state government urged both state and central governments to act urgently to rescue the six innocent women and children.

The veteran Congress leader also urged the captors to release the captives and said: “Whoever the perpetrators may be, it would be wise for them to release the hapless people.”

Accompanied by state Congress President Keisham Meghachandra Singh doubted the government’s ability to fulfill its fundamental responsibility to safeguard the citizens of the state.

“Is Manipur not a part of India? Or is there some hidden agenda that leaves Manipur in turmoil ?” he asked, hinting at a sense of neglect from the government.

The former Chief Minister emphasised constructive dialogue, instead of violence, to resolve the ethnic violence.

Congress Lok Sabha Member from Manipur Angomcha Bimol Akoijam linking a photo of missing persons in a post on the X said: “Look at the faces of these women and children, they are citizens of this country. Do whatever you must with all the resources under your command to ensure their safety and freedom from their armed "Kuki" abductors. God forbid, if anything untoward happens to these innocent women and children, you shall be solely responsible.”

The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), the apex body of the Meitei community, also demanded immediate "rescue" of the six untraced people, alleging negligence by both state and central forces leading to the abduction.