Manipur: Autopsy of all six bodies done, families not ready to accept them for last rites

SILCHAR/IMPHAL-  Even after completion of the post-mortem of all the bodies of the six missing persons from Manipur’s Jiribam district, the corpses remain at the morgue of the Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) in Assam as family members are unwilling to take them back for last rites, sources said on Thursday.

The final body was discovered floating in Barak river in Assam’s Cachar district on Monday, following which its autopsy was conducted at SMCH. But, there is no confirmation when the mortal remains will be taken to Manipur for handing them over to the respective families for last rites, SMCH official said in silchar.

According to the source, Assam Police, which is guarding the hospital and the bodies at the morgue, has requested their Manipur counterparts to take the bodies as early as possible.

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The bodies of the six persons, who went missing from Jiribam after a gunfight between security forces and suspected Kuki-Zo militants that resulted in the deaths of 10 insurgents on November 11, were found in Jiri river in Jiribam and Barak river in Assam’s Cachar over the last few days.

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The six persons, including three women and children each from the Meitei community, went missing from a relief camp in Jiribam’s Borobekra area and were allegedly abducted by Kuki-Zo militants.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh expressed grief over the killing of six people by suspected Kuki militants last week and asserted that his government would not rest until the culprits are brought to justice. He said search operations were underway for the killers of three women and three children whose bodies were recovered from a river in Jiribam district last week.

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The CM also said, “Such barbaric acts have no place in any civilized society. Let me assure you that the hunt for these terrorists is currently underway and they will be brought to justice very soon. We will not rest until they are held accountable for their inhuman actions.”

More than 220 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo groups since May last year.