Northeast Desk, 14th January: The body of the fourth individual, who went missing while collecting firewood in Manipur’s Haotak Mapallok Chakpi Ching along with three others, was discovered on January 13, according to sources. The body displayed bullet injuries, raising suspicions of murder by suspected armed miscreants, along with the three others in Haotak Mapallok Chakpi Ching. Located in the adjoining area of Bishnupur and Churachandpur, the body was evacuated to RIMS mortuary in Imphal on Saturday, as per sources.
Thoudam Ibomcha (51) s/o Pangoi, his son Thoudam Anand (20), Oinam Romen (38) s/o Oinam Pishak, and Ahanthem Dara (55) s/o Apikchao, all hailing from Wangoo Sabal Akasoi, ventured out to collect firewood from Haotak Mapallok Chakpi Ching on January 10, claim sources. As they didn’t return home the same day, suspicions arose that they were either taken captive or murdered by suspected armed miscreants.
A search party discovered the bullet-riddled bodies of Ibomcha, Anand, and Romen on January 11 at Haotak Mapallok Chakpi Ching, but Ahanthem Dara couldn’t be traced. From January 11, State and Central armed security personnel launched a tracking operation to locate Dara.
On January 13, around 11 am, the lifeless body of Dara was found at Wangoo Sabal Maning Meichakpi Ching with bullet injuries, showing bullet marks on his left thigh and left temple.
In a press release on Thursday evening, the state police stated, “On 11.01.2024, security forces recovered 03 (three) dead bodies of the 04 (four) persons who reportedly went missing at Haotak Mapalok Ching, Bishnupur District on 10.01.2024. Security forces are carrying out hectic efforts to search for the other missing person and to flush out armed miscreants from the area.”
It’s worth mentioning that Manipur had been witnessing ethnic conflict since the first week of May, in which more than 180 people were killed, and nearly 60,000 people were displaced.
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