Mysterious Disappearance of Manipur Teens: Disturbing Images Raise Questions Amidst Controversy
In a harrowing incident that has sent shockwaves through Manipur, images of two teenagers, one of them underage, have surfaced on the internet. These pictures depict the youngsters alive in one frame and seemingly lifeless in another, leaving the community perplexed and anxious.
Seventeen-year-olds Hijam Linthoingambi and Phijam Hemanjit went missing on July 6, amidst the backdrop of heightened tensions between the Meiteis and the Kukis in Manipur. The disappearance of these young souls has raised a slew of questions and concerns about their fate and the challenges their families face in seeking justice.
Hijam Linthoingambi, also known as Luwangbi, is the daughter of Hijam Kullajit and Hijam Ongbi Jayalakshmi from Sagolband Tera Tongbram Leikai. On the fateful morning of July 6, Luwangbi, who aspired to become a doctor, attended her physics and chemistry class at a coaching center. Her father, usually her ride to and from the center, was unwell that day and couldn’t accompany her. Tragically, Luwangbi never returned home, and her father now carries the weight of not having been there to pick her up.
The disappearance unfolded shortly after the reopening of schools and coaching centers in Manipur, following a period of closure due to ethnic violence. Luwangbi attended her classes as usual, with CCTV footage showing her riding a KTM Duke 200 motorcycle with her friend Phijam Hemanjit Singh. Initially, both families suspected that the teenagers might have eloped, as they appeared to be in a romantic relationship. Luwangbi had mentioned visiting Nambol Bazar after her class, but her phone went silent after her last message from Khoupum, a Naga-dominated area located approximately 40 kilometers from her family’s home, according to her mother, Jayashree Devi, who shared, “I kept trying to call her, but it was switched off.”
Fearing the worst, the family decided to file a First Information Report (FIR) against Phijam Hemanjit Singh, although the police raised questions about turning a love story into a criminal case, given that the girl was a minor. The FIR included charges of kidnapping and abduction with the intention of compelling her into marriage, as per IPC Sections 366, 368, and 34. The FIR stated that Hemanjit was 20 years old, although his family claimed he was 17.
Despite their relentless efforts, the police failed to locate Luwangbi even after five days. In their desperation, Luwangbi’s parents reached out to the chairperson of the Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights, seeking assistance. The family also met with Rekha Sharma, the chairperson of the National Commission for Women, during her visit to Imphal. Disheartened, Luwangbi’s parents expressed their frustration at her apparent “lack of interest” in the case.
On July 25, Rekha Sharma was in Imphal, where the family implored her to help find their daughter or, if she was no more, to retrieve her remains for a proper farewell. However, Kulajit Singh, Luwangbi’s father, recounted, “They [the authorities] seemed uninterested in our case. Rekha Sharma left us by saying, ‘Don’t say that she is dead in front of everyone.'”
Meanwhile, Phijam Hemanjit Singh’s family offered a different narrative. Phijam Ibungobi Singh, speaking to The media, claimed, “He left home at 8 AM on July 6, telling his mother that he is going to watch a football match.”
Luwangbi’s parents visited Phijam’s home after viewing the CCTV footage. Ibungobi tried calling his son, but the phone was switched off. On July 7, a cybercrime report indicated that the last location of both the girl and the boy was ‘Phabakchao Ikhai.’ However, when both families approached the relevant police station, they were told that there was no evidence of the teenagers being present in that area.
Ibungobi Singh also sought help from Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, Governor Anusuiya Uikey, local MLA Sapam Kunjakeshor, and security advisor Kuldeep Singh, but their efforts proved fruitless. Both families have staged several protests, but their appeals have yet to yield any concrete results.
Adding to the complexity of the situation are the disturbing images of the duo circulating online, with captions suggesting a grim fate. The origins of these images, as well as the reasons behind them, remain shrouded in mystery.
As the community anxiously awaits answers, the overarching question remains: when will normalcy return to Manipur, and will justice be served for these young lives hanging in the balance?
