Agitators clash with security forces in Manipur's Kangpokpi district
Protests erupted after the mutilated bodies of two missing youths were discovered in Senapati.
Protesters clashed with security forces in Manipur's Kangpokpi district on Monday after the mutilated bodies of two missing youths were found in neighbouring Senapati, according to The Hindu. Law enforcers used baton charges and tear gas shells to disperse agitators who were throwing stones at them.
The bodies of T. Chongloi, 21, and Paoginlal Hangsing, 20, were discovered in gunny bags at a banana farm on Sunday morning. The two men had gone missing from Taphou Kuki village on October 29.
Joint teams including the Manipur Police, CRPF, Assam Rifles, CoBRA, and RAF recovered them during a search operation along the SP Road.
Agitators blocked roads with boulders, logs, and burning tyres on Sunday night. One protester sustained a head injury after being allegedly hit by a tear gas shell but remains in stable condition. A district official stated that tension remains high and additional security forces were deployed on Monday morning.
Deputy Chief Ministers Nemcha Kipgen and Losii Dikho both condemned the killings. Kipgen called for a thorough investigation into the crimes, while Dikho stated that no disagreement justifies taking a human life.
The Naga Peoples' Organisation (NPO) has questioned the circumstances of the recovery, with president Kuba Peter demanding an independent investigation to prevent the manipulation of evidence. Meanwhile, the Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU) has called for the resignation of Dikho and requested that Taphou Kuki Village be moved from the jurisdiction of the Senapati Superintendent of Police to the Kangpokpi SP. COTU also stated that the deceased will not be returned to the village for funeral rites until the killers are in custody.