The investigation into the tragic deaths of six missing individuals from Manipur took a significant step forward on Monday, as the postmortem examination of five of the six bodies was completed at a state-run hospital in Silchar, Assam. Meanwhile, the body of the sixth missing person, believed to be a woman, was found floating in the Barak River in Assam’s Cachar district, near the border with Manipur.
The Missing Six: A Tragic Tale from Manipur’s Jiribam District
The six individuals—three women and three children, all from the Meitei community—went missing after a violent gunfight on November 11 between security forces and suspected Kuki-Zo militants in Jiribam, a district in Manipur. The gunbattle resulted in the deaths of 10 insurgents, and the six civilians have been missing since the aftermath of the clash.
The bodies of the missing persons began to surface over the weekend in two river systems—Jiri River in Jiribam and Barak River in Assam. The authorities confirmed that the bodies were found in a “highly decomposed state”, prompting the need for immediate autopsies.
Postmortem Examinations and Identifications Underway
Officials reported that the postmortem of five of the bodies has been completed at the Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH). The bodies were brought to the hospital for examination after being recovered from the rivers. According to sources, the bodies are being examined to determine the cause of death, and the medical team is preparing reports for further investigation.
Manipur police officials have been notified and will be responsible for arranging the return of the bodies to their families once the process is complete. However, the timeline for repatriating the bodies is still unclear.
Sixth Body Found Floating in Barak River
On Sunday, a senior official from the Assam Police confirmed the discovery of a sixth body—likely the last of the missing individuals. The body of a woman was found floating in the Barak River in the Singerbond area of Lakhipur Police Station, in Assam’s Cachar district. This area shares a border with Manipur’s Jiribam. The identity of the deceased woman is still being verified by Manipur police. Once confirmed, the remains will be sent for postmortem at Silchar Medical College and Hospital.
According to the Assam Police, the six individuals were likely killed and thrown into the river after the gunfight. It is believed that two bodies that were found floating in the Jiri River were recovered on Friday, while the bodies of a woman and a child surfaced in the Barak River on Sunday morning.
The Victims: Who Were the Missing Six?
The six missing persons, who were believed to have been abducted and murdered, have been identified as:
- Yumrembam Rani Devi (60)
- Telem Thoibi Devi (31) and her daughter Telem Thajamanbi Devi (8)
- Laishram Heithoibi Devi (25) and her two children, Laishram Chingkheinganba Singh (2.5 years old) and Laishram Lamnganba Singh (10 months old)
The tragic deaths have deeply affected the Meitei community, who have been living in fear amid the ongoing ethnic violence in the region.
Protests Erupt in Silchar Amid Growing Tensions
Following the discovery of the bodies, hundreds of Meitei men and women gathered in Silchar on Sunday night to hold a candlelight protest in front of the statue of freedom fighter Khudiram Bose. The protesters decried the abduction and suspected murder of the six people, calling for justice. The gruesome nature of the incident has intensified ethnic tensions, with demands for accountability growing louder.
Context: Ethnic Conflict in Manipur
The state of Manipur has been mired in ethnic violence since May 2023, when violent clashes erupted between the Meitei community in the Imphal Valley and the Kuki-Zo groups in the surrounding hills. The violence was sparked by the demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Meitei community, which led to protests and counterprotests, eventually escalating into large-scale violence.
Since the outbreak of violence, more than 220 people have been killed and thousands displaced, with entire villages affected by the conflict. The recent deaths of the six individuals from Jiribam highlight the deepening crisis and the increasingly volatile situation in the state.
A State in Crisis
As the investigation continues, authorities in Assam and Manipur are under mounting pressure to identify those responsible for the killings and ensure justice for the victims. The discovery of the bodies and the ongoing protests are reminders of the deep ethnic divides that continue to plague the region, as well as the human cost of the unrest.
The tragic deaths of these six individuals are part of a larger pattern of violence that has devastated Manipur and surrounding areas, raising urgent questions about the need for peace and reconciliation in this ethnically diverse state.
