Senapati: Despite three and a half days of extensive search and rescue efforts, the whereabouts of the 17-year-old youth who was swept away by a strong current in the Senapati River on 1st July 2024 at around 3:00 pm remain unknown. Attempts to recover his body since the evening of 1st July have been futile as local youths, Red Cross Society members, Willong Circle villagers, the State Disaster Response Force team, and family members continued the search until the evening of 4th July. The family and village members of the victim have appealed to the general public to help find the missing youth or provide information if found.
However, after the flood situation worsened in Imphal, the SDRF team, who were roped in by the Senapati District Administration, were withdrawn from the mission for new assignments in Imphal. Despite the lack of clues, many youths voluntarily joined the search from the Old Monday Market Bridge to the Barak River and Senapati River meeting point at Karong. Similar teams were also searching along the banks of the now flooded Barak River in Karong, Lairouching, Maram, Willong, Kangzang, Rajaimei, and other locations.
The missing youth has been identified as Hailungba Martin, son of Railung Stephen of Willong Khullen under Willong Sub-Division, currently residing at District Council Colony, Senapati DHQ. According to sources, the unfortunate incident happened on 1st July between 2:30-3:00 pm near a canal located near the Old Monday Market Bailey Bridge connecting Maralong and Katomei, where he slipped and fell into the Senapati River and was carried away by the strong current. Since then, all efforts to find him have been in vain.