Imphal: Tension escalated in the Imphal West district of Manipur following the disappearance of a 56-year-old man, Laishram Kamal Babu, who went missing from an army camp on Monday afternoon. Kamal, a supervisor from Meitei community, had been working on a contract project at the 57 Mountain Division Leimakhong Army camp, located on border between the Meitei-dominated Imphal West and Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district.
According to Kamal’s family, his mobile phone went silent at 2 pm on Monday, after he left for work at the army camp earlier that day. Kamal’s absence raised alarms when he failed to return home, prompting his family to contact the authorities. “Joint search operations have been launched in the area by the police and central forces to locate Kamal,” a police officer from Kangpokpi said.
What investigation revealed
Kamal, who had entered Leimakhong Army camp through gate no. 1 on Monday morning, was last seen at around 1.30 pm by a labourer who worked under him at the site. By 2 pm, his phone had been turned off, and he was no longer in contact with anyone.
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A protest broke out early on Tuesday as locals, mostly women, took to the streets demanding answers. The protesters blocked roads and demanded the authorities locate Kamal and explain his sudden disappearance.
Upon investigation, it was confirmed that Kamal had registered at the main gate of the army camp at 9.30 am on Monday. However, there were no traces of his departure from the camp, as the CCTV cameras did not capture any footage of him leaving.
The police and army have been searching the area with the help of helicopters and quadcopters to trace Kamal or find his scooter, which has also gone missing. The army has deployed about 2,000 personnel to search the hills and jungle surrounding the camp, but so far, they have been unsuccessful in locating him.
The army also held separate meetings with local Kukis and Meitei leaders to gather information and to appeal for cooperation. An army official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the search was ongoing, and both forces were revisiting CCTV footage across the camp. Authorities warned Meitei protesters not to block roads, as it was hampering the search operations.
250 people lost their lives in Manipur violence
This incident took place in the midst of ethnic strife in Manipur, which began in May 2023. The conflict between Meitei and Kuki communities has claimed over 250 lives and displaced thousands of people.
A top Meitei organization, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), called for a two-day shutdown of central and state government offices starting November 27. The group is demanding the removal of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) and the initiation of operations against suspected Kuki militants. COCOMI coordinator Thokchom Somorendro accused the state government of failing to act on a resolution adopted in a meeting with legislators on November 18. The resolution called for the removal of AFSPA and a “mass operation” against Kuki militants within seven days, but the government has not taken action within the designated time frame.
