Women's Wing of Apex Meitei Organization Issues Ultimatum Over Missing Person
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Imphal, Nov 30 (NationPress) The women's faction of the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), the leading organization of the predominant Meitei community, has vowed to undertake a series of protests if the army fails to find and rescue a 56-year-old man from their community, who has been missing since November 25 in Kangpokpi district.
According to COCOMI women's wing convenor Leirik Leima, if the army is found to be exhibiting bias, the populace, especially the mothers of Manipur, will not tolerate such behavior.
She stated that should the authorities fail to ensure the safe return of Laishram Kamalbabu Singh, the people of Manipur will no longer permit the army to remain in Leimakhong in Kangpokpi.
Leirik Leima told media representatives, "The people of Manipur had placed their faith in the Army, which has been stationed in Leimakhong for an extended period."
Kamalbabu Singh, residing in Gossaipur under Cachar district in southern Assam, is currently living at Loitang Khunou village in Imphal West district. He left his home on November 25 to visit the Leimakhong military station, where he was employed as a supervisor for a contractor working with Military Engineering Services (MES), but has since gone missing.
A spokesperson for the defence on Saturday revealed that the army, in coordination with Manipur Police, has been conducting an intensive search operation for the sixth consecutive day to locate and rescue Kamalbabu Singh, amidst rising tensions in Imphal West district, which borders the hilly Kangpokpi district.
He noted that regular meetings have been held with village leaders and community elders to enhance the search efforts by collecting information and seeking support.
The spokesperson indicated that CCTV footage is being reviewed, discussions with his co-workers are ongoing, and a thorough search operation, including the use of sniffer dogs, has been initiated.
An official in Imphal mentioned that police from both Imphal West and Kangpokpi, alongside army teams supervised by the GOC of 57 Mountain Division, are engaged in the search operations.
The Joint Action Committee (JAC), formed after Kamalbabu Singh's disappearance, has also been organizing protests, including a sit-in at Kanto Sabal in Imphal West.
Protesters are demanding the swift safe return or rescue of Singh.
Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on Friday called upon the Army to exert maximum effort in locating and rescuing Kamalbabu Singh, taking full responsibility for finding the missing individual.
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 the previous year, individuals from the Meitei community have fled regions near Leimakhong village.
