SENAPATI/UKHRUL: Two Kuki youths who went missing from Taphou Kuki village on October 28 were found dead along Senapati-Phaibung (SP) Road in Senapati district on Sunday morning, Manipur Police confirmed.
The deceased have been identified as Thangginlun Chongloi, 21, and Paoginlal Hangsing, 20. Their bodies were recovered around 7:30 am from a location approximately 13–14 km east of National Highway-2 during a joint search operation.
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The operation began around 3:30 am and involved personnel from Manipur Police, Assam Rifles, CoBRA, CRPF and RAF.
According to police, security forces had been conducting search operations for four consecutive days across several locations, including Taphou Onaeme, Taphou Liangmei, Marenmei, Upper Marenmei and adjoining forest areas, before the bodies were recovered along SP Road on Sunday.
The bodies are being taken to Kangpokpi for post-mortem examination, while necessary legal formalities are underway.
The recovery comes amid protests by the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), which had called a 48-hour total shutdown across Kangpokpi district from October 29, demanding the immediate and safe release of the two missing youths.
CoTU subsequently extended the shutdown by another 24 hours on October 31, citing the failure of authorities to secure their release.
Meanwhile, security forces are continuing search and combing operations in the area to identify and apprehend those responsible.
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