Police force dispatched for manhunt operation of missing VDF personnel

Imphal: The Manipur government on Thursday sent a strong police force to launch a manhunt operation for the missing VDF personnel in the interior Chandel district.

VDF personnel Ningombam Premananda (37) from Okram Leikai of Thoubal district remained untraced after he went missing from the campus of the 15 Assam Rifles at Urantop hill in Chandel district on the intervening night of January 20 and 21.

The strong police force comprising 130 personnel of the Manipur police from Thoubal and Chandel district were dispatched for launching the manhunt operation this morning.

The team is planning to camp at Phaisi village under Chakpikarong police station of Chandel district for five days to conduct a widespread search for the missing personnel, an official source said.

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A team comprising 70 personnel of the Thoubal district police was led by an additional SP. They left Thoubal district headquarters this morning.

The team will join with another 70 personnel of the Chandel district police and launch the search operation in suspected areas across the Chakpikarong sub-division of Chandel district, the source added.

The development to conduct a fresh operation to trace the missing personnel came up after an agreement was reached between the government and the joint action committee (JAC) formed in connection with the missing VDF personnel on Wednesday.

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The JAC has been pressing the state government to trace the missing personnel alleging that the state government did not take the matter seriously. The JAC had imposed an indefinite blockade on the Imphal-Moreh section of NH-102.

The blockade was suspended for five days after a talk between the representatives of the JAC and Works minister K Govindas.

In the talk, it was agreed on the part of the state government to launch a fresh search and investigation into the missing of the VDF personnel beginning on Thursday along with additional forces.

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