Manipur: Body Of Fourth 'Missing' Person Found In Churachandpur, Three Recovered Earlier

The Manipur police, in a joint search operation with the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), recovered the body in Bishunpur district bordering Churachandpur.

New Delhi: Two days after three of the four persons, who had gone missing from the Kumbi area in Manipur’s Bishnupur district, were found dead at a hill range, the body of the fourth person, reportedly bearing bullet injuries, was found by the security forces on Saturday near the same spot.

The Manipur police, in a joint search operation with the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), recovered the body of Ahanthem Dara Meitei (56), at the Wangoo Sabal Maning Ching Meichakpi foothills in Bishunpur district bordering Churachandpur.

The Manipur police in a late-night post on X wrote, “On 13.01.2024 one dead body identified as Ahanthem Dara Meitei (56) S/O Late A. Apikchao Meitei of Akasoi Ward No. 7, who was amongst the 4(four) men who went missing on 10.01.2024 while collecting firewood at Haotak Mapalok Chakpi Ching was found today after intense search by security forces."

The Officer-in-charge (OC) of Kumbi police station, Okram Doren, told the media that the security forces have recovered Dara’s body from the same spot as others and have sent it to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in state capital Imphal for post-mortem.

Dara along with the three other persons, Oinam Romen Meitei (45), Thoudam Ibomcha Meitei (53) and his son Thoudam Anand Meitei (27), all residents of Wangoo Terakhong Akasoi ward 7, had gone to collect firewood from a nearby forest on Wednesday morning. Bodies of three others were found on Thursday. The security forces also recovered their bicycles from the spot.

“My father’s body, with bullet injuries in his thigh and body, was recovered from the same place where the bodies of the three others were found. After having a meal, my father left home at around 10 am on Wednesday to collect wood. The leaders of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), formed by our village people, and the family members of the deceased met Chief Minister N Biren Singh to discuss issues concerning fresh attacks on our villagers by armed miscreants seeking measures to protect them,” Dara’s son, Ahanthem Chakkar said.

Meanwhile, the villagers of Kumbi, while expressing disappointment over the unfortunate incident, demanded the government to remove the CAPF personnel from the area and replace them with the Manipur police.