Months after the alleged abduction and murder of two Meitei students in Manipur, significant developments have emerged in the case. On October 13, the Crime Bureau of Investigation (CBI) announced the arrest of a 22-year-old man, marking the fifth arrest in the case, which unfolded on July 6.
The latest arrest, Paolun Mang, was apprehended in Pune, Maharashtra. Mang’s role is believed to be prominent in the abduction and murder of the two students. He was taken into custody based on the interrogation of the four individuals arrested earlier.
As per the investigation, the victims, a 20-year-old boy named Phijam Hemanjit Singh and a 17-year-old girl named Luwangbi Linthoingambi Hijam, were allegedly abducted by Kuki militants in Laimaton on July 6. While their bodies have not been recovered, photographs surfaced in September that indicated the students had been killed.
Until the images emerged on social media, the families of the missing students held onto hope that their children were alive somewhere in the ethnically divided state. However, the photos that went viral on September 25 showed the students sitting on the ground in what appeared to be a forest, with armed men in the background. Another photograph showed them lying lifeless, wearing the same clothes as in the first image. Their faces were not visible in the second photograph, and its authenticity could not be independently verified.
The release of these images triggered protests across Manipur, and on September 28, a large crowd attempted to storm the private residence of Chief Minister Biren Singh in Luwangsangbam. Law enforcement and security forces used tear gas to contain the protests.
To probe the alleged murder of the two students, a special CBI team led by senior officer Special Director Ajay Bhatnagar was dispatched to Imphal. The CBI continues its search for LHingneichong’s husband, Wohkhogin Baite, also known as Tiger, a militant believed to be the main accused in the case.
The arrest of Paolun Mang is a significant development in the investigation, as the CBI intensifies efforts to uncover the truth behind the abduction and murder of the Meitei students in Manipur. The case remains a focal point of public attention, and authorities are committed to delivering justice for the victims and their families.
