The CBI rushed out a team of officials to investigate the incident after receiving a referral from the state government and the home ministry.
Digital Desk: A CBI team headed by Special Director Ajay Bhatnagar arrived in Imphal on Wednesday afternoon to look into the "kidnapping and killing" of two students two days after they went missing, sources said. On Monday, photos of the two students' bodies who had been missing since July 6—Phijam Hemjit (20) and Hijam Linthoingambi (17)—were extensively disseminated on social media. This sparked new waves of protests in the state.
The agency's main priorities, according to the sources, will be locating the murder scene, locating the bodies, and apprehending the criminals. The team would meet with senior law enforcement and government representatives and review local intelligence regarding the terrible incident, they claimed.
The CBI rushed out a team of officials to investigate the incident after receiving a referral from the state government and the home ministry. The agents were under the direction of the CBI's second in command, Bhatanagar.
When the team arrived, Joint Director Ghanshyam Upadhyay, another senior officer who is camped in Imphal, also joined them, according to the sources. Officers with competence in technical surveillance, crime scene reconstruction, questioning, and special crimes make up the squad. The prestigious Central Forensic Science Laboratory of the CBI will also be represented, according to the sources.
In one of the two pictures, the students are allegedly seen with two armed individuals, while in the other, two bodies are visible. Police had previously stated that they did not know the whereabouts of the two and that their cell phones were discovered to be off. According to authorities, the last known position of their cellphones was Lamdan, a neighbourhood close to the tourist destination for winter flowers in the Churachandpur district.
In a post on X, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said on Tuesday: “In light of the distressing news that emerged yesterday regarding the tragic demise of the missing students, I want to assure the people of the state that both the state and central government are closely working together to nab the perpetrators.”
The CBI officers' presence in the state, according to him, "underscores the commitment of our authorities to swiftly resolve this matter," The criminals must be found and brought to justice, Singh said, adding that he has been in constant contact with Union Home Minister Shri @AmitShah ji.
In response to the global spread of the photographs of the dead pupils, security officers have been placed on high alert and extra precautions have been taken, according to a senior officer. People have received assurances from the government that "swift and decisive action will be taken against all those involved in the kidnapping and killing of Phijam Hemjit and Hijam Linthoingambi."
Leave A Comment