Manipur: Protests erupt after bodies of two missing youths found
Security forces used tear gas and baton charges to disperse protesters in Kangpokpi district after two missing youths were found dead.
Protesters clashed with security forces in Manipur's Kangpokpi district on Sunday night after the mutilated bodies of two missing youths were found in neighbouring Senapati district, according to Deccan Chronicle.
The bodies of T Chongloi, 21, and Paoginlal Hangsing, 20, were recovered from a banana farm in a hilly stretch of Senapati on Sunday morning. The two had gone missing from Taphou Kuki village on October 29.
Agitators blocked roads with boulders, logs, and burnt tyres, and threw stones at security personnel. Police responded with tear gas shells and baton charges to disperse the crowd, during which one protester sustained a stable head injury.
Deputy Chief Ministers Nemcha Kipgen and Losii Dikho condemned the killings. Kipgen demanded a thorough investigation into the crimes, while Dikho stated that no grievances can justify taking a human life.
The Naga Peoples' Organisation (NPO) has questioned the circumstances of the recovery and called for an independent investigation to prevent the manipulation of evidence. NPO president Kuba Peter demanded accountability to prevent communal tensions.
The Kangpokpi-based Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU) demanded the resignation of Dikho and the transfer of Taphou Kuki village's jurisdiction to the Kangpokpi Superintendent of Police. The committee stated the bodies would not be taken for final rites until the perpetrators are arrested.