Shortly after photographs of the deceased bodies of two students, who had been missing since July, circulated widely on social media, the Manipur government has issued an appeal for restraint. They have urged the public to allow the authorities to investigate the “kidnapping and killing” of the two students. In a statement from Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s office, the state government confirmed that the case has been transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The two students have been identified as Phijam Hemjit (20) and Hijam Linthoingambi (17). The government’s statement noted that the state police, in collaboration with central security agencies, is actively probing the case to ascertain the circumstances surrounding their disappearance and to identify the individuals responsible for their deaths. Security forces have initiated a search operation to apprehend the perpetrators.
Security personnel have been put on high alert, and additional measures have been taken to prevent any untoward incidents following the circulation of the students’ photos. The government has assured the public that it is committed to ensuring justice and will impose severe penalties on anyone found guilty of this heinous crime. They have called on people to exercise patience and allow the authorities to manage the investigation.
On Monday night, two photos of the missing students emerged on social media. One of the photos purportedly showed the students with two armed individuals, while the other depicted their lifeless bodies. The students had gone missing on July 6, and their mobile phones had been switched off, with the last location of their handsets traced to Lamdan near the winter flower tourist spot in the Churachandpur district, according to previous reports by the police.
Source: PTI
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