Tragic Discovery: Bodies of Hostage Women Found in Manipur Amid Ongoing Crisis

Bodies of Three Women Found in Manipur Amid Hostage Crisis

In Assam’s Silchar, the bodies of three women were brought to a morgue on Friday. This comes after three women and three children were taken hostage on Monday in Manipur’s Jiribam district. The exact identities of the bodies have not yet been confirmed.

The morgue is located at Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMHC), about 50 kilometers from Jiribam. Officials say the bodies were received at 7 PM on Friday. Autopsies are conducted at this facility due to insufficient resources in Jiribam.

Among the hostages are two young children, including an infant. The three women include the mother of these children, all belonging to the Meitei community. They were reportedly abducted by suspected Kuki militants while another group of militants clashed with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

During this encounter, ten suspected Kuki militants were killed.

Laisharam Herojit, a state government worker, has made a public appeal for the safe return of his family. He reported that a friend of his wife witnessed the abduction, where armed individuals took them away in a boat.

According to Herojit, he received a distress call from his wife amid gunfire and chaos. The call ended abruptly, and attempts to reconnect failed. A friend later confirmed they saw his family being taken.

The Kuki tribes claim the individuals killed during the encounter were “village volunteers,” a statement that security forces dispute. Authorities announced that weapons recovered from the incident, including assault rifles and a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, were found at the scene. Visuals released show police vehicles with bullet damage.

As tensions rise in the region, the Meitei community held a candlelight vigil in Imphal, advocating for the safe release of the hostages.