New Delhi: Disturbing images depicting the gruesome before-and-after scenes of two students who had disappeared since July 6 surfaced on social media.
The dissemination of these distressing images has sent shockwaves through the public as they quickly went viral on social platforms. To avoid any potential protests, unrest, or agitation, the state government released a late-night press statement regarding the brutal killings of the two students.
According to an official statement from the Manipur chief minister’s office, the case has been transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The two students in question have been identified as Hijam Linthoingambi, 17, and Phijam Hemjit, 20.
“It has come to the notice of the State Government that the photos of two students, Phijam Hemjit (20 years) and HijamLinthoingambi(17 years), who have been missing since July 2023 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,” the press release issued on September 25, said.
Press Release from Chief Minister’s Secretariat. pic.twitter.com/Z7ds64Pas8
— CMO Manipur (@manipur_cmo) September 26, 2023
The images, which have gone viral on social media, depict the two students seated in the open area of what seems to be an improvised forest camp associated with an armed group.
According to the statement, the Manipur police, in collaboration with the central security agencies, are thoroughly investigating the case to identify the circumstances of their disappearance and identify the perpetrators responsible for the “killing of the two students.”
The security forces have initiated a search operation to apprehend those responsible, it added.
Manipur plunged into a state of turmoil and violence in May following a high court directive instructing the state government to contemplate the inclusion of the non-tribal Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes list.
The order triggered extensive ethnic conflicts, resulting in over 170 deaths and several hundred people sustaining injuries since the outbreak of ethnic violence on May 3. The violence commenced when a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in hill districts to oppose the majority Meitei community’s request for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.