Governor dials top cops for update on missing teens
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, July 15 2024: The families of missing students namely Phijam Hemanjit and Hijam Linthoingambi, accompanied by former Patsoi MLA Ak Mirabai, petitioned Governor Anusuiya Uikey on Monday, urging her intervention in locating the missing duo by July 24, on which the annual rites are traditionally performed by members of Meetei community.

Interacting with the media following their meeting with the Governor, Ak Mirabai said that the two students have been missing since July 6 last year.

Despite the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arresting several suspects and submitting a charge sheet, the families remain without answers regarding the whereabouts or fate of their children.

Their anguish has only been compounded by the inability to perform the last rites in the absence of their mortal remains.

Mirabai emphasised the importance of July 24, when the families hope to perform the annual rites.

She expressed frustration over the lack of progress despite the passage of a year, noting that even if the students have been killed, the families have not received any remains or personal belongings to conduct proper ceremonies.

During the meeting, the families handed a memorandum to Governor Uikey detailing the circumstances surrounding the disappearance and the subsequent investigation.

The memorandum highlighted the pressing need for closure and the profound impact of the ongoing uncertainty on the families and the community.

Responding to their plea, Governor Anusuiya Uikey immediately contacted the state s security advisor and the Director General of Police (DGP) to inquire about the current status of the case.

Following this conversation, the security advisor arranged to meet the families on Tuesday at 11 am to discuss the investigation further while assuring to get the progress report from CBI.

Mirabai noted that appealing to the Governor was the only thing the families could do given the stagnation in the case.

She underscored the families' demand for definitive information about the whereabouts or remains of Hemanjit and Linthoingambi.

They also informed the Governor of the potential public unrest if the government fails to address their demands.

In the memorandum, the parents of two missing youths sought the Governor's urgent intervention to determine the fate of their children, who have been unaccounted for since July 6, 2023, amid ongoing violence in the state.

The memorandum highlighted the current conflict in the state that has resulted in numerous deaths, injuries, and disappearances, leaving many families devastated and homeless.

Against this backdrop, the disappearance of Linthoingambi and Hemanjit has been particularly heart-wrenching for their families and the community, it stated.

Despite extensive searches and persistent efforts by the families, civil society organisations, and the student community, the whereabouts of Linthoingambi and Hemanjit remain unknown.

The families initially received reports suggesting that the minors were kidnapped and killed by armed Kuki militants in Zoujangtek area, which borders Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts.

The case took a dramatic turn on September 25, 2023, when photos of the two students, captured while they were alive and deceased, surfaced on social media platforms.

These images, which showed suspected Kuki militants in the background, reignited public outcry.

Valley-based CSOs and Meira Paibi Lups have since demanded justice and the return of the students' bodies for proper conduct of their last rites.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has made several arrests and has reportedly submitted a charge sheet to the relevant court.

Despite these developments, the families and the public have not received any definitive information about their fate or the location of their remains.

This lack of transparency has led to widespread disillusionment and a loss of faith in state authorities, who are seen as the custodians of citizens' welfare, the memorandum said.

In their memorandum, the parents - Hijam Kulajit Singh and Phijam Ibungobi Singh - expressed profound grief over their inability to perform the last rites for their children.

The memorandum underscored the critical importance of discovering the truth about Linthoingambi and Hemanjit's fate.

It emphasised that if the students are deceased, the return of their mortal remains is essential for the families to conduct religious rites and pray for peace of their souls.

The parents requested the Governor to leverage her position to compel the authorities and the CBI to disclose the full details of the case.

The memorandum insisted that the interrogation of the arrested individuals should reveal the crime scene, the exact circumstances of the students' fate, and the location of their bodies if they have been killed.

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