Ongoing Tension in Manipur Districts as Meitei Youth Remains Missing
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Synopsis
Tensions continue in Imphal West and Imphal East districts of Manipur as a 20-year-old Meitei youth remains missing after disappearing on Sunday. Search operations are being conducted by police and security forces, with civil society groups also involved.
Key Takeaways
- Tension prevailing in Imphal districts.
- 20-year-old Meitei youth reported missing.
- Search operations ongoing by police and security forces.
- Family filed a missing person report.
- Over 30 Meitei youths missing since ethnic violence.
Imphal, March 18 (NationPress) Tension continues to loom over both Imphal West and Imphal East districts of Manipur for the third consecutive day as a 20-year-old Meitei youth remains unaccounted for following his disappearance on Sunday afternoon. A senior police official stated that the Manipur Police, alongside Assam Rifles and Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel, are conducting both joint and separate search operations across Imphal West, Imphal East, Churachandpur, Bishnupur, and Kangpokpi districts.
To aid in the search efforts, security personnel have also deployed tracker dogs to find the missing youth, according to reports from the official.
Police identified the missing individual as Mukesh, a resident of the Keishampat Lelmajam Leikal area in Imphal West. He was reported missing after heading towards the tribal-inhabited district of Churachandpur on Sunday afternoon, prompting his family to file a missing person report at the Imphal Police Station.
“Upon receiving the report, an inquiry was promptly initiated. Efforts are ongoing to locate Mukesh by police and other security forces. Extensive search operations are underway in all suspected areas,” the official noted, adding that civil society organizations are also gathering information regarding the missing youth.
Surveillance footage reveals that Mukesh's vehicle was last spotted in Bishnupur district, near Chinikon, close to the Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district.
Meanwhile, Thounaojam Maheswar, the Manipur General Secretary of the Republican Party of India-Athawale, reported that their delegation met with Director General of Police Rajiv Singh, urging him to intensify the search efforts for Mukesh.
Police have traced his mobile location to the Kuki-Zo tribal inhabited area of Jouzangtek in the mountainous Kangpokpi district; however, the precise location remains undetermined.
Official reports indicate that over 30 youths from the Meitei community have reportedly gone missing since the outbreak of ethnic violence in the state 22 months ago.
