Chief Minister’s Office issued a statement said, “It has come to the notice of the State Government that the photos of two students, Phijam Hemjit (20-year-old) and Hijam Linthoingambi (17-year-old), who were missing since July 2023 have surfaced on social media. It may be noted that this case has already been handed over to the CBI as per the wishes of the people of the state.” It was further stated in the statement that the state police, in collaboration with the central security agencies, are actively investigating the case to determine the circumstances surrounding their disappearance and to identify the perpetrators who murdered the two students. The security forces have also started the search operation to nab the perpetrators.
In response to this distressing situation, the government assured the public that swift and decisive action would be taken against all those involved in the kidnapping and killing of Phijam Hemjit and Hijam Linthoingambi. The government is committed to ensuring that justice will prevail and stringent action will be taken against those who are responsible for committing this heinous crime. The State Government has urged the people to exercise restraint and to let the authorities handle the investigation.
The viral photos show the two students sitting on the grass. Behind the student, armed militants in Camouflage were visible. It looks to be a makeshift jungle camp of an armed group. The 17-year-old minor girl is in a white t-shirt while the man, holding a backpack and in a checked shirt, looks at the camera. In another photo, their bodies are seen on the ground near a big rock and it looks like the same place.
The Meitei students were abducted by armed militants on July 6 from Bishnupur district and taken to Churachandpur. Bishnupur and Churachandpur are the worst affected districts by the violence. It was believed that the minor girl student and the 20-year-old boy were killed on the same day. Huge outrage was seen amongst the locals after the pictures of the two abducted students went viral. Meitei civil society organisations are alleging that Kuki militants had abducted the minor girl and the boy. They took them to a jungle camp and brutally killed them. People are demanding justice for the students who were abducted and brutally killed.
