Imphal: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) along with a combined team of paramilitary and state forces Sunday arrested four main accused in the abduction and murders of two Meitei students who were reported missing on 6 July.
The two students, 19-year-old Phijam Hemanjit, and a 17-year old girl, were last traced to a Kuki-dominated area. Photos showing their bodies went viral on social media platforms on 25 September, sparking widespread protests. Over 100 students were reportedly injured in these protests.
“The accused persons, two men and two women, were arrested from an area within Henglep [assembly] constituency in Churachandpur district,” Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh said Sunday evening while addressing the media at the secretariat.
He said that the accused have been taken to Guwahati. “Apart from the four accused, two minors were also picked up by the CBI team in connection with the case,” he added.
The accused have been identified as Paominlun Haokip, S. Malsawn Haokip, Lhingneichong Baite and Tinnuphing, said Singh.
The chief minister also assured that the government will do its best to ensure that the culprits were given a befitting punishment.
The arrests come days after a CBI team, led by Special Director Ajay Bhatnagar, arrived in the state on 27 September to probe the case in wake of the continuous protests by students.
“I would like to appreciate the CBI team and the security personnel involved in cracking the case,” the chief minister said. He also appealed to the people to have faith in the ongoing investigation and to extend their support and cooperation.
Singh went on to say that the ongoing violence in Manipur being portrayed as ethnic and religious in nature on different platforms, including the UN, has been debunked by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Citing an NIA statement on the arrest of one Seiminlun Gangte from Churachandpur Saturday, he said the case was related to a transnational conspiracy by Myanmar- and Bangladesh-based leadership of terror outfits to wage war against the Government of India.
The CM told ANI: “…After NIA took over this case, it gave a press release yesterday that the incident in Manipur is waging war against Indian Union by the Kuki militant from Myanmar and Bangladesh along with some militant from India.”
#WATCH | On the arrest of Seiminlun Gangte, an accused in the Manipur Violence case, Manipur CM N Biren Singh says "…After NIA took over this case, it gave a press release yesterday that the incident in Manipur is waging war against Indian Union by the Kuki militant from… pic.twitter.com/iWeQOYSbe6
— ANI (@ANI) October 1, 2023
(Edited by Smriti Sinha)
Also read: ‘They registered FIR & sat on it’ — parents slam Manipur cops after photos of murdered teens surface