Manipur police makes arrests in abduction and murder of two Meitei students

The Manipur Police Sunday arrested some people in the abduction and murder of two Meitei students who went missing in July, CM N Biren Singh said. “I’m pleased to share that some of the main culprits responsible for the abduction and murder of Phijam Hemanjit and Hijam Linthoingambi have been arrested from Churachandpur today,” CM Singh wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

I’m pleased to share that some of the main culprits responsible for the abduction and murder of Phijam Hemanjit and Hijam Linthoingambi have been arrested from Churachandpur today.

As the saying goes, one may abscond after committing the crime, but they cannot escape the long…

— N. Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) October 1, 2023

Pictures showing the dead bodies of Hijam Linthoingambi, 17, and her friend Phijam Hemanjit, in gory detail, and one showing both sitting in fear with armed men in the background started going viral on 23 September. The viral pictures sparked sharp protests from the Meitei community. On Thursday a mob even tried to storm the personal residence of CM Singh at Hijam Linthoingambi, 17, and her friend Phijam Hemanjit, 20 been missing since 6 July. Hijam, according to the CCTV footage, left the coaching centre together on a bike with Phijam. According to a report by The Wire, the girl’s phone went off after her last message from a Naga-dominated area about 40 km from her home. Reportedly, the families of the teens initially thought they had eloped since they seemed to be in love.