Security forces recovered the severed head of Ajinpou Ringkamai, one of four Naga men allegedly killed in an attack by suspected Kuki armed men in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district, on Wednesday, five days after the incident, officials said.
A joint team of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Manipur Police found the remains in an area near Makui village, where the attack took place on October 10. The remains were subsequently taken to the mortuary of the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) in Imphal.
The recovery came after several Naga organisations issued a 48-hour deadline to the authorities on October 12, demanding that the missing remains be traced.
Meanwhile, the Joint Tribes Council (JTC-Manipur) had suspended the post-mortem examinations of two victims, Dibambou Ringkangmai, 48, and Ajinbou Ringkamai, 52, whose bodies were brought to the JNIMS mortuary on October 12.
The council had demanded the recovery of the missing head and the arrest of three individuals — Thangboi Kipgen, David Hangsing and Dr Sailen Haokip — whom it named as alleged perpetrators in a statement. The allegations against them have not been independently established.
The JTC also alleged that those responsible for the attack were operating with impunity under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement. It held the Centre and the Manipur government responsible for what it described as a failure to act against the alleged perpetrators and warned of further measures if its demands were not met.
The recovery marks a development in the case, which has prompted Naga organisations to demand accountability. Further details on the investigation and the resumption of the post-mortem examinations are awaited.
