Thousands of students protest in Imphal over deaths of two missing Meitei youths

After photos of the deceased bodies of two missing Meitei teenagers appeared allegedly killed by suspected Kuki militants, thousands of students in Imphal took to the streets on 26 September.

Soon after the internet services were restored in the North-Eastern state, the images of the two missing Manipur students went viral on social media. In the images, one shows the two students’ dead bodies, while the other one shows them sitting in fear with two armed men in the background.

Will u people say "wrong place wrong time"? They claim they don't touch women and children. Yet they murdered these innocent kids right after they were abducted!!! Where are the ROE? #KukiAtrocities
Justice for Linthoingambi & PhijamHemanjit #KukiTerrorists #KukiWarCrimes pic.twitter.com/PF1CJppo6b

— NowInManipur (@NowinManipur) September 25, 2023

The Manipur government, meanwhile, has reportedly confirmed that the bodies belong to the two missing Meitei students. As per the details, the two deceased students have been identified as a female student – Hijam Linthoingambi (17), and a male student – Phijam Hemjit (20).

Looking at the timeline of the images, Luwangbi went out with Hijam on his KTM bike for a ride on 6 July and hasn’t returned since then.

Manipur State Government’s response:

Giving more information, the Manipur chief minister’s office (CMO) has informed that the case is already being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

In a press release on 25 September, the CM Secretariat said, “State police, in collaboration with the central security agencies, are actively investigating the case to determine the circumstances surrounding their disappearance and to identify the perpetrators who murdered the two students. The security forces have also started the search operation to nab the perpetrators.”

“In response to this distressing situation, the government assures the public that swift action will be taken against all those involved in the killing of Phijam Hemjit and Hijam Linthoingambi. The government is committed to ensuring justice prevails and will impose severe punishment on any perpetrators found responsible for this heinous crime.”

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi hits out at BJP govt

Hitting out at the BJP-led government in Centre and Manipur, Congress Leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took to X and wrote,

‘More shocking news from Manipur. Children are the most vulnerable victims of ethnic violence. We must do all we can to protect them. The horrific crimes being committed in Manipur are beyond words, yet they are being allowed to continue unabated. The central government should be ashamed of its inaction.’

Over 175 people have been killed and several hundred injured since ethnic clashes broke out in the northeastern state on 3 May.

Clashes erupted after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organized in the hill districts to protest against the majority Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status.