Tension gripped Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on Sunday after the bodies of two missing Kuki men were recovered days after their alleged abduction, triggering protests and clashes between demonstrators and security forces.
At least three protesters were injured in the confrontation, officials said.
The situation escalated when the Superintendent of Police (SP), Kangpokpi, brought the bodies to the district hospital. A large number of people gathered on the streets and attempted to storm the SP’s office, leading to a confrontation with security personnel. Police fired several rounds of tear gas shells and live rounds into the air to control the crowd, while protesters retaliated by pelting security forces with stones and using slingshots. It had also urged the government to step up efforts to rescue them.
The deceased have been identified as Paoginlal Hangshing, 20, and Tinginlun Chongloi, 21. They had been missing since October 28, when they were reportedly abducted by unidentified miscreants while travelling between Hengbung and Taphou Kuki village in Kangpokpi district. Multiple search operations were launched after the two men went missing at around 5.30 pm on October 28, according to police. In the latest operation on Sunday, joint teams comprising Manipur Police, CoBRA, CRPF, Assam Rifles and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) searched the general area east of National Highway 2, along the Senapati-Phaibung (SP) Road. The committee had imposed a total shutdown across Kangpokpi district from 5 pm on October 29, demanding the immediate, safe and unconditional release of the two missing men.
The recovery of the bodies comes a day after three Kuki individuals were killed in an exchange of fire between two armed groups at Kekru Naga village under Nungba police station in Manipur’s Noney district on Saturday.
