Unidentified Grenade Discovered Near Home of Missing Manipur Civilian Worker After 40 Days
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Imphal, Jan 2 (NationPress) A live hand grenade was discovered on Thursday outside the rented residence of Laishram Kamalbabu Singh, a supervisor for a contractor at a military station in Manipur, who has been missing for around 40 days, officials stated.
A police official reported that the hand grenade was located in front of the gate of Singh's house at Loitang Khunou in Imphal West district, prompting a police team to quickly arrive at the scene to retrieve it, with experts successfully defusing it.
Authorities also retrieved a note accompanying the grenade.
"The note called for the dissolution of the Joint Action Committee and the formation of a new one," the official mentioned.
The JAC, along with various organizations including the Meira Paibis (women vigilantes in Manipur), have been staging protests to locate Kamalbabu Singh, who has been missing since November 25.
The Manipur government recently transferred the case of the “missing” individual to the CBI.
According to defense sources, approximately 2,000 soldiers from the Army and Assam Rifles are actively engaged in search operations to find Kamalbabu Singh.
Army officials have been consistently consulting with village leaders and community elders to gather intelligence to enhance their search efforts. They have also reviewed CCTV footage, interviewed Singh’s co-workers, and continued an extensive search operation, including the use of sniffer dogs.
In parallel, the Manipur Police have conducted their own search operations to locate Kamalbabu Singh, who is from Gossaipur in Cachar district of southern Assam, but was residing in Loitang Khunou village in Imphal West.
He departed his home on November 25 heading for the Leimakhong military station but subsequently vanished.
Singh was employed as a supervisor for a contractor associated with the Military Engineering Services (MES) at the Leimakhong Military Station of the 57th Mountain Division in Kangpokpi.
The JAC and the Meira Paibis have also sought the intervention of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to assist in the search for the missing man.
JAC leaders and representatives from various organizations have met with Chief Minister N. Biren Singh multiple times to address the “abduction” of Kamalbabu Singh.
The Chief Minister has urged the Army to exert all efforts to locate and rescue Kamalbabu Singh and to take responsibility for his recovery.
State Social Welfare Minister Heikham Dingo Singh stated that all documents regarding Kamalbabu Singh have been forwarded to the Prime Minister's Office as well as the offices of the Defence Minister and Home Minister for appropriate action.
Previously, the Manipur High Court established a four-member committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the missing man.
The Leimakhong military station, situated 16 km from the capital Imphal, is surrounded by areas dominated by the Kuki-Zo-Hmar tribal communities.
Following the outbreak of ethnic violence in Manipur in May of last year, individuals from the Meitei community evacuated regions surrounding Leimakhong village.
