Man found dead identified as ex-soldier
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, September 09 2024: Body of a man, suspected to have been murdered and abandoned, was found at Phumlou Maning Leikai under the jurisdiction of Lamsang police station, on Monday.

The deceased, who seems to be around 45 years of age, has a rose tattooed on the right side of his neck with another on the right arm.

He was found clad in red sleeveless T-shirt and grey half pant.

According to police report, after locals informed about a body lying near a pond at Phumlou Maning Leikai, a team of Lamsang police station arrived and retrieved the lifeless corpse, which had a slit throat, suggesting murder and abandonment by the perpetrators.

Lamsang police station has registered an FIR No 33 (9)2024 under Section 103 (1)/3 (5) of BNS.

Meanwhile, news agencies including PTI and IANS reported that the victim a retired Army soldier was kidnapped by suspected militants on September 7 from Shantipur area.

Quoting a police officer, the agencies informed identified body of the victim as one Limlal Mate, Police are, however, yet to provide details of the death.

The slain ex-serviceman's son, Thangminlun Mate, reportedly lodged an FIR at the Gamnom Saparmeina Police station in Kangpokpi district claiming that his father was kidnapped by suspected militants while he went to purchase household items at Shantipur on Sunday.

"Today (Monday), I learned through social media that my father was mercilessly killed in the Phumlou area," Thangminlun Mate said in his FIR and demanded stern action against the perpetrators.

Local people, belonging to the Kuki-Zo community, said that Mate, a former Havildar of the Army, was a resident of Motbung village in Kangpokpi district and, while driving a car by mistake, crossed the buffer zone and entered the Sekmai area on Sunday.

Since the ethnic violence broke out, Central forces have been deployed in between the valley, dominated by the Meetei community and hilly areas inhabited by the Kuki-Zo community, to prevent clashes among the two communities.

People of the two communities since the ethnic hostilities began on May 3 last year have avoided entering each other's areas.

Since September 1, the violence escalated in the trouble-torn state, killing at least 10 people, including women and elderly persons, and injuring over 20.Combined security forces comprising Assam Rifles, Central Armed Police Forces and Manipur Police also intensified their counter-insurgency operations across the state to nab the militants.

The Manipur government since September 6 has pressed into service a military chopper to conduct aerial patrolling and deployed anti-drone systems to repel the rogue drones of militants.

Meanwhile, a police statement said the five people, who were killed in Jiribam district on Saturday, were identified.

Three of them belonged to a militant group, while one was a village volunteer.

Another person was an elderly man, it said.

One person was shot dead while he was asleep.

Four others were killed in subsequent exchange of fire between people of two warring communities in Jiribam on September 7, according to the police statement.

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