Displaced minor girl found 'murdered'
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 06 2026: A seven-year-old minor girl was found dead on the bank of Imphal River under Singjamei bridge last night.

It is strongly suspected that the girl was raped before she was murdered.

The minor girl was staying in the Akampat relief camp along with her family and other internally displaced persons since May 2023 .

According to some IDPs and family members, the girl was found missing from the relief camp yesterday at around 5.30 pm .

Even as the family and some IDPs staying in the relief camp searched for the girl in the nearby areas, the victim could not be found till late night.

Subsequently they filed a missing report at Irilbung police station.

They also searched for the girl in every possible place including in the pond located inside the premises of the relief camp and also outside the camp.

Accused Laishram Lanngamba was among the family members and other IDPs searching for the minor.

As a search party checked CCTV footage installed in the surrounding area of the relief camp, the victim was seen walking on the street followed by the accused.

After seeing the footage, some members of the Akampat relief committee asked the accused if he had any idea of the whereabouts of the missing girl as the victim was seen walking in front of him but the accused denied having any knowledge of the missing victim.

At around 10 pm, a team of Irilbung police station came to the relief camp and pulled up the accused for some questioning related to the missing of the minor victim.

Meanwhile, a massive search was carried out by the family and fellow IDPs in every suspected area.

At around midnight, the dead body of the minor victim was found concealed inside a gunny bag on the bank of Imphal River.

The police station concerned was immediately informed about the shocking discovery.

After the arrival of a police team, the crime scene was cordoned off, awaiting a forensic science team.

After a State forensic science team carried out an inquest of the dead body and its surrounding area, a team of Irilbung police station picked up the dead body at around 1.30 am and the same was deposited at JNIMS morgue for post mortem.

Angered over the incident, IDPs burnt down an isolated shed occupied by the accused inside the relief camp this morning.

On the other hand, angry IDPs and family members of the victim went to Irilbung police station, where the accused was being detained, demanding to hand over the accused to them .

Before reaching the gate of Irilbung police station, the infuriated and aggrieved IDPs and family members of the victim were stopped by a large number of police personnel but the IDPs overpowered the security personnel and stormed the gate of Irilbung police station.

In order to bring the situation under control, security forces fired two rounds of tear gas shells and thus drove away the crowd from the gate of the police station at around 11 am today.

Speaking to the media this afternoon regarding the shocking incident, Thangjam Budha, convener of the Committee on Protection of Meitei Victims said that they were shocked and hurt beyond words by the brutal murder of the minor girl.

Saying that the shocking incident might not have happened had they returned to their respective places, he appealed to the State Government to take such incidents with utmost seriousness.

He said that they have banned the accused from staying in their relief camp.

He also appealed to other relief camps not to allow the accused in their respective places/camps.

Thangjam Budha added that they will not claim the dead body until the accused is awarded capital punishment.

He further appealed to the investigating team to investigate the case comprehensively and ascertain if any other persons were involved in the commission of the heinous crime, and also to provide post mortem report of the victim at the earliest.

Meanwhile, the Federal Students' Organisation, Kangleipak (FESOK) and the Yuva Janata Dal (United), Manipur State have condemned the brutal murder of the minor girl in the strongest terms.

While FESOK has demanded exemplary punishment, Yuva Janata Dal (United), Manipur State has urged the authorities to award capital punishment to the accused.

Speaking to media persons at their office at Takyel Kolom Leikai, Yuva Janata Dal (United), Manipur State general secretary Birkarnelzelzit Thiyam remarked it is a matter of utter shame for all the people of Manipur that such a heinous incident took place in the State.

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