November 18, 2024
NEW DELHI – Violent protests erupted in Manipur after the discovery of six unidentified bodies in Jiribam district, leading to widespread attacks on the homes of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including ministers, MLAs, and Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s son-in-law, Rajkumar Imo Singh.
The bodies, believed to be of the six women and children missing since November 11, were found near the confluence of the Jiri and Barak rivers along the Manipur-Assam border on Friday and Saturday.
They were taken to Silchar Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem examinations.
The violent protests saw mobs targeting the residences of three ministers—Sapam Ranjan Singh, Leishangthem Susindro Meitei, and Yumnam Khemchand Singh—as well as six other legislators. Protesters also torched vehicles and ransacked properties in Imphal East and Imphal West districts.
In response to the unrest, authorities imposed an indefinite curfew in the Imphal valley districts, including Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Thoubal, and Kakching, to prevent further violence. Internet services were also suspended in the affected area.
A large contingent of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), paramilitary forces, and state police personnel have been deployed across affected areas as the situation remains tense.
The bodies have yet to be identified by family members, but they are believed to be the missing women and children from Jiribam district. They had reportedly disappeared on November 11.