Lukmai Sellup sets Nov 5 deadline to recover bodies
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, October 21 2023: Khwairamband Keithel Lukmai Sellup has warned that women vendors of the Keithel (markt) will launch various forms of agitation if the bodies of missing students Linthoingambi and Hemanjit were not handed over to their respective families by November 5.Lukmai Sellup general secretary Ashem Nirmala informed media persons at Khwairamband Keithel on Saturday that people are worried that bodies of Linthoingambi and Hemanjit, who went missing since July 6 but presumed killed by Kuki militants, would never be found.

If the bodies of Linthoingambi and Heman jit were not handed over to their respective families by November 5, women vendors of Khwairamband Keithel along with peqple of the state will start searching for the bodies at suspected locations, she said.

According tp Nirmala, the CBI had already arrested five .people including two women in connection with the case but the investigation by the central agency to locate whereabouts of the bodies seems to have been delayed deliberately.

There is also no pressure from the state government to the CBI for finding the bodies at the earliest, she claimed and warned that different forms of agitation including search at suspected areas will begin soon and the state government should be held responsible for any unwanted incident.

Regarding the CoTU's demand to hand over bodies of Kuki-Zo people lying in mortuaries in Imphal to them, Nirmala said that the mortal remains of the parties in conflict should be exchanged at one time under security cover and no bodies including those of two students must not be left out during the exchange.

Condemning the brutal action of state and central forces against the Meira Paibis, the Sellup leader pointed out that the protestors in valley areas are dispersed using tear, pellet guns and smoke bombs by security forces but no order for using such action is issued in the hills.

She also demanded to know who issued the order for using excessive action against the protestors in the valley and no action against the protestors in the hills.

Lukmai Sellup vice president Khongbantabam Leirantombi also told media persons that entire people of the state are suffering since May 3 and accordingly there should be no entertainment event till return of peace and restoration of normalcy.

She then appealed to all the communities of the state to stop celebrating festivals including Ningol Chakkouba except for the required rituals.

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