Manipur boils all over again with killing of two students, Internet suspended

The Manipur government, on Tuesday (September 26), suspended mobile internet data services and general internet/data services in the state to curb the spread of disinformation. This action followed widespread protests and a law and order situation in the Meitei-dominated Imphal valley, which emerged after the "kidnapping and killing" of two Meitei students.

Reports indicate that a clash between police and protesters left approximately 50 students injured as they were demanding justice for the two students who mysteriously vanished on July 6.

A team of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials, led by Special Director Ajay Bhatnagar, is scheduled to arrive in Imphal, Manipur, via a special flight today (September 27).

Student photos went viral

• The photos of the missing Meitei students, identified as Phijam Hemjit (20) and Hijam Linthoingambi (17), surfaced online late on Monday (September 25), sparking massive public outrage. Students from schools and colleges joined the protests the following day (September 26).

• In response, just two days after the restoration of internet services in the state, they were suspended again on Tuesday (September 26) for five days until October 1, in order to further curb the circulation of distressing images.

• The students, identified as Phijam Hemjit (20) and Hijam Linthoingambi (17) went missing on July 6 with their mobile phones switched off.
• The last known location of their mobile devices was traced to Lamdan, in Churachandpur district in the southern part of the state.
• Shockingly, recently, two of their photos emerged after the internet suspension was lifted, one showing them with two armed individuals, followed by another photo showing their lifeless bodies.

State government's response

• The government has assured the people of Manipur that "swift and decisive action will be taken against all those involved in the kidnapping and killing of Phijam Hemjit and Hijam Linthoingambi."
• Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, in response to the developments, underlined the collaborative efforts of the state and central governments to bring the perpetrators to justice.
• He reassured the public, saying, "I have been constantly in touch with Hon'ble Union Home Minister Shri @AmitShah ji to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice."

• Security measures have been enhanced, along with the internet being shut, to prevent any potential incidents in light of the viral photos of the deceased students.
• According to the CM, the state government also handed over the case to the CBI.

CBI team

• The CBI team, headed by Ajay Bhatnagar, the agency's second-in-command, will also include Joint Director Ghanshyam Upadhyay who is currently stationed in Imphal looking at other cases following the violence in the state.
• According to India Today, the team shall comprise officers with specialisation in handling special crime cases, crime scene reconstruction, interrogation, and technical surveillance.

• Additionally, experts from the CBI's elite Central Forensic Science Laboratory have been included in the investigative task force.

Manipur violence

• Since May, the northeastern state has been embroiled in ethnic violence between the majority Meitei and the minority Kuki communities after the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status surfaced.
• The majority of Meiteis, constituting 53% of the state's population, primarily reside in the Imphal Valley. On the other hand, the minority Kuki and Naga tribes make up 40% of the population, primarily residing in the hill districts.