By M.Devanand Sharma
Imphal (Manipur), Sept 26: Shockwave after the photos of 2 missing student’s surface. As the photo of two missing students alive in captivity before moments of being killed surfaced in social media, it went viral and sent shockwave among the general population on Monday late evening.
According to a press release issued by the chief minister’s Secretariat on Monday late night It has come to the notice of the State Government that the photos of two students, Phijam Hemjit (20) and Hijam Linthoingambi (17), who have been missing since July 6 last have surfaced on social media.
It may be noted that this case has already been handed over to the CBI as per the wishes of the people of the state. State police, in collaboration with the central security agencies, are actively investigating the case to determine the circumstances surrounding their disappearance and to identify the perpetrators who murdered the two students. The security forces have also started the search operation to nab the perpetrators.
In response to this distressing situation, the government assured the public that swift and decisive action will be taken against all those involved in the kidnapping and killing of Phijam Hemjit and Hijam Linthoingambi.
The government is committed to ensuring justice prevails and will impose severe punishment on any perpetrators found responsible for this heinous crime. The government encourages the public to exercise restraint and to let the authorities handle the investigation.
Mention may be made here that family members along with people of the state had organized a series of protest demanding safe release of the two. They also submitted a memorandum to the chief minister to expedite the investigation and trace their whereabouts.
As had been widely reported, that Phijam Hemjit of Takyel Kolom Leiaki and Hijam Linthoingambi of Tera Tongbram both from Imphal west district went missing since July 6 after they went out for a coaching class. Both the families filed FIR in imphal west district police.
So far, neither CBI nor Manipur Police could get a breakthrough in the case.
Today, school students tried to march towards Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s residence, following which security forces used tear gas shells and smoke bombs to disperse the crowd. At least 6 students were injured and rushed to the hospital for medical treatment.
Meanwhile, the state government on Tuesday said all the government, aided and private unaided schools will be closed till Friday in view of the prevailing law and order situation in the state.
“All State Government/State Government Aided/Private Unaided Schools will be closed on 27.09.2023 (Wednesday) and 29.09.2023 (Friday),” the Directorate of Education – Schools, Manipur posted a tweet on X .
The state has also re-imposed a ban on mobile devices accessing the internet amid violent protests over the brutal murder of two minors, news of which broke after photographs of the bodies went viral on social media.
The ban will be in effect till Sunday and comes just days after the state government lifted similar orders – that had been in place for five months – after ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki tribes in the north-eastern state killed over 175 people and left hundreds injured.
